


Trying to Be Someone's

by cashryley



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Grahamscott, Homophobic Language, M/M, Recreational Drug Use, also mentions of rape in later chapters but no details, i hope you're okay with me not tagging spoilers, there are mentions of other characters but they aren't major, this is my first fan fiction h e l p
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-11-22
Packaged: 2018-05-18 16:04:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 57,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5934460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cashryley/pseuds/cashryley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Warren Graham feels like the loneliest guy at Blackwell Academy, but he soon learns that he is not alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. High

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I've never written fan fiction before but just started recently after playing this incredible game. I mean I'm a huge nerd so I've been reading fan fiction since I was a preteen. BUT ANYWAY, please handle me with care.
> 
> Good To Know: I don't feel like providing too much information within the story on this, but this is an AU where Nathan ratted out Mr. Jefferson and his father got him an A+++ lawyer and he didn't get into any trouble because he was forced to do whatever Jefferson asked of him. (If only). Also, Warren is 18 years old, Nathan is 19. Everyone in my story is at least 18 years old.

Nathan Prescott smelled good. It was not an obvious scent, it was subtle. It was a scent that Warren was used to and expected to smell every time that he sat next to him in Chemistry class. Warren wished that asking other guys what scent they were wearing was socially acceptable. He knew what other guys wore because they doused themselves in it after their showers after swim practice. But Nathan never sprayed himself with anything, just swiped deodorant on his armpits. But the scent didn’t smell like deodorant. What was it? Sometimes Warren could smell Nathan real close when they had to work together on a lab.

Nathan was a good lab partner. He wasn’t before because of all the issues he had been going through. Sometimes Nathan wouldn’t even show up to class. But this time around, four months after Mr. Jefferson was escorted off campus in handcuffs, he was good. Nathan was nicer. He was still an asshole, just more stable now. It made Warren enjoy being around him.

“Are you listening to me?” Nathan grumbled, pulling Warren out of his daydream.

“Oh, um, sorry. I didn’t catch that last one.”

“The melting point is thirty Celsius.”

Warren nodded and jotted the information down on his lab chart. Mrs. Grant had the class doing a lab on the structure of chocolate. Before melting the chocolate, Warren was the lucky partner to do a taste test of a regular bar of chocolate and a bar of chocolate that had been melted and then rehardened. That was the part that Nathan had took notes for.

When the class was dismissed Warren was still cleaning the lab station, Nathan didn’t help because he was Nathan. Once he was done, he gathered all of his things and headed towards his locker. As he pulled on his coat he spotted Nathan walking off with his arm around Victoria‘s shoulders. Warren would head to the cafeteria since it was lunch time, but he was excited to check if the four movies that he left downloading on his laptop were finished. This was probably why Warren was single. No one liked the weird things that he liked.

It was January and there was a definite chill in the air. Blackwell kept their heat on high and sometimes the students didn’t bother walking to different parts of the campus without their coats. Warren thought that to be crazy, though. The walk to the dorms was still cold. When Warren pushed through the doors of the boy’s dorm he seemed to have startled Hayden and Justin who were exchanging something. Warren pressed his lips tightly together as he walked passed them and turned to his hall. Being at Blackwell did make you want to stay under the influence. He opened his door hurriedly and checked his laptop before he even took off his coat.

Warren smiled seeing that The Human Centipede and Dumplings had already downloaded. Martyrs was the current movie downloading and Irreversible was next. He took off his coat and placed it on the back of his chair. Excited to text Max about the new additions to his movie collection, he pulled his phone out of the coat. But it was not his phone. It was Nathan’s. Warren began checking and double checking his pockets until he finally accepted the fact that Nathan accidentally took his phone instead.

Although Warren had seen Nathan walk off with Victoria, he decided to just check and see if he was in his dorm. With Nathan’s phone in hand he stepped out of his room and walked the short distance from his door to Nathan’s and sighed before knocking. Nathan opened the door only a few seconds after and it made Warren nervous because he didn’t want to be bothering him.

“H-hi, Nathan.”

“What do you want?” he asked, nonchalantly. He was wearing a black t-shirt and dark pants.

“I think you accidentally took my phone,” said Warren holding the phone in his hand up.

Nathan’s eyebrows furrowed, then he walked back into his room, leaving the door open. Warren took this as an invitation to follow him inside. On a blank wall of Nathan’s bedroom was the projection of a film that he recognized. Suddenly, Warren wasn’t so nervous anymore.

“I Spit on Your Grave,” he said. Nathan looked at him while shoving his hand in his letterman jacket which was over his desk chair.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I’ve seen it before, just felt like seeing it again.” He handed Warren his phone.

Warren grabbed it, eyes still on the wall, and gave Nathan his own. Warren didn’t realize how long he stood there watching the projected scenes. It was just that he had never seen a movie that he enjoyed projected so closely.

“So, uh,” Nathan started. “You staying?”

Warren looked at him. He was standing on the other side of his bed, one hand quickly tapping his fingers together. “Oh, um, sorry,” said Warren. “I’ll go.”

But before Warren could fully turn towards the door Nathan told him that he could stay.

“Are you sure? I didn’t mean to come into your personal space.”

“No, it’s cool. Um… people usually think the movies I watch are weird. So it’s,” he shrugged. “It’s, uh, it’s cool that you aren’t freaked out by it.”

“Oh, no way!” Warren sat himself on Nathan’s bed. “I don’t really have people to watch this kind of stuff with either. I mean Max does sometimes, but I don’t think she really likes them. She gets queasy pretty quickly.”

Nathan snorted and rummaged through his drawer. Warren looked back at the projected scenes. “You skipping lunch then?” Nathan asked him.

Warren turned to him again. “Yeah, I-”

Nathan carefully lit a joint that was between his thin lips.

“Uh… I was downloading stuff,” he continued. “And I wanted to see if they were done downloading. Then I realized that I had your phone.”

Nathan took a drag and held in his breath. “What’d you download,” he said and then exhaled. “Porn?”

Warren chuckled. “No, some horror. You might like them actually.” He watched Nathan sit on the bed and slump over as he took another drag.

“Why?” he exhaled and handed the joint to Warren.

“Uh, blood, violence, kinda low ratings because of their disturbing nature?” Warren grabbed the joint.

Nathan smiled. Warren liked it when he did. He did it so rarely. “I might,” said Nathan.

“Uh, Nathan. I don’t smoke.”

“Why not?”

“Well, I’ve never smoked.”

“You’ll like this. It’s not like what they teach you in elementary school. Put it between your lips.”

Warren Graham was going to smoke weed for the first time with Nathan Prescott. What geek at Blackwell could say that? It wasn’t a huge privilege, but it sure was a rarity. Warren put the joint between his lips, still holding onto it.

“Suck in what feels comfortable, then hold that in your lungs,” Nathan patted his chest. “Deep.”

Warren sucked on the joint for about three seconds until he felt an unexpected amount of pressure. He held the smoke in, eyebrows furrowing. It was a weird sensation.

Nathan slowly nodded and smiled at Warren again. But then he quickly stopped smiling. “Okay! Let it out!”

As Warren exhaled, he felt something catch in his throat which made him cough. He couldn’t stop coughing for almost a full minute. Warren thought for a moment or two that he was going to fall over and die. But when he looked at Nathan, he was smiling and actually looked intrigued.

He lightly smacked Warren’s back and took the joint from his hand. “You’ll live, Warren! Focus on normal breaths when you start coughing. Never panic, you’ll fuck up your high.”

Warren wasn’t coughing anymore but he would keep that piece of advice in mind. He didn’t feel anything yet and wondered how long it took to feel something. Nathan took two long hits before handing the joint back to Warren again. Warren took a short toke and exhaled. After that, Warren sucked hard, which seemed to impress Nathan because he grinned. He held it deep inside himself this time and even swallowed before exhaling. He felt light headed this time, but it felt good. He laughed at this, and the fact that his eyes felt slightly heavy. Things felt a little slow now and he laughed again. He did it. Nathan Prescott got Warren Graham high for the first time. Nathan grabbed his shoulders and made him focus on him. The joint was between his lips again, it was small now.

“That’s good,” he said. “You’re a natural.” He took a short drag from the joint and put it out and then placed it on his desk. “You okay?”

Warren took a deep breath and coughed. “I think so. My chest feels kind of,” he smacked it, “tight.”

“That’ll go away. How do you feel?” asked Nathan turning his body to face Warren’s fully.

“Relaxed. I didn’t think it could hit you so quickly. I’m high. So quickly. It’s nice. Wow…” Warren placed his hands on his cheeks.

Nathan snapped his fingers at him. “Can’t believe it’s your first time. Everyone does it here.”

“Not me,” Warren shook his head.

“I'll make a man out of you yet," Nathan laughed.

Warren laughed, too, and scooted all the way back on Nathan's bed so he could lean his back on the headboard. Nathan followed and Warren could smell him again. Although he was able to smell the marijuana throughout the bedroom, he could still smell Nathan’s scent. It was comforting to him. They watched the movie silently for a few minutes until Nathan turned to Warren. He felt like Nathan was staring at him for half an hour but it was really just about half a minute. "What?" he asked slowly turning his head to look at Nathan.

Nathan's eyes were red and heavy. "Why don't you have a girlfriend?"

Warren sighed. "I try really hard but just doesn't work out."

Nathan raised his leg and rested his elbow on it. "I thought you and Max were definitely hooking up until she turned dyke."

Warren's face scrunched. "You don't turn, Nathan."

"I know. But she's a nosy bitch."

"Whatever, Nathan."

More silence passed between them as they watched the projected film until Nathan began speaking again. "Do you feel bad for me?"

"What do you mean?" Warren noticed that Nathan was peering at him.

"Everyone pities me. At first they all fuckin' hated me... now they just look at me like my whole family died. Mr. Jefferson wasn't my father. _I_ sent _his_ ass to jail! _I_ came out on top."

"I think people just feel bad because they know how much therapy you go through. I heard you go to your regular therapy and like therapy that your dad attends with you. And like, everyone knows that you take pills and do a bunch of drugs. I do drugs. I'm smoking right now."

"What?"

"What did I say?" Warren couldn't remember what conversation they were even having.

"You're too fucking high," Nathan laughed and Warren laughed along with him. Nathan grabbed Warren's shoulder and grinned. "You don't treat me like my house burned down. I'm normal to you."

"Nathan, you're as normal as... a fuckin'... you know those things..."

Warren saw Nathan's eyes try to focus on his face. "You have had chocolate on your face since chemistry, you fuckin' idiot."

"How?" Warren grabbed his face. "From where?"

"From the lab. Wow, I forgot you can be like a lightweight with pot," he laughed. The hand that was on Warren’s shoulder went to Nathan’s face and he sucked his own thumb for a bit. Then he used that thumb to wipe chocolate off the corner of Warren's mouth.

Warren backed away with furrowed eyebrows. "You're not my mom."

Nathan began to laugh and leaned his head on his arm that was still resting on his knee. He watched Warren lick at the wet corner of his mouth. "I like you, Warren," he said.

"I like you, too, Nathan. You're a real pal."

Nathan laughed again and slapped his hand on Warren's thigh. But once it landed, it did not come back off. This didn't bother Warren, though. Sometimes it was nice to feel someone touch you in anyway. Physical touch was important to him. And Warren didn't even think anything when Nathan‘s face came close to his own. He could see his deep blue eyes behind drooping eyelids, and Warren could smell him much better now, too. 

"Hey, Nathan, what cologne do you w-." He stopped because he couldn't speak anymore. There was something on his mouth that was stopping him. It took him a few seconds to realize that Nathan Prescott's lips were against his own.

Neither boys' lips were moving, they were just pressed against each other. Nathan's hand still on Warren's thigh, his eyes closed, and face relaxed, as if kissing Warren was just as relieving as his high. Warren liked kissing, it almost didn’t matter to him who he was kissing. So Warren pushed against Nathan's lips and his eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly. Nathan's lips parted from Warren's but then came back to gently kiss Warren's bottom lip. Warren finally closed his eyes and kissed Nathan's top lip in return. They began to make out as innocently as a make out session could get.

The hand that was on Warren's thigh moved away and what seemed like ten minutes passed until Warren's face was following wherever Nathan's was going. And it was directly in front of him, he felt Nathan straddle his thigh. This was still okay with Warren. The room was already hot because of Blackwell’s heating system, but feeling Nathan’s body so close to him was a better kind of heat. He wondered if Nathan often kissed other boys, or even had sex with other boys. Was Nathan only kissing him because he was high?

Their kissing became a little more desperate, a little more passionate. He felt Nathan’s hands on either side of his jaw and it was starting to turn him on. He wasn’t sure what to think about that, he never had sex with a boy before. But maybe he would? Nathan adjusted himself a little and there was a hardness on Warren’s thigh that he was sure was Nathan's bulge. This finally concerned Warren. He wasn’t ready to make that decision yet.

Warren squirmed his head away from Nathan's. "I have to go, Nathan."

His eyes were still red and heavy. "Did I-"

"Don't worry. I won't tell anybody. I just," Warren began to move and so Nathan removed himself from his place on Warren. "I just need to go."

Warren didn't hear Nathan say anything as he left his room. When he got to his room he thought that it probably wasn‘t a good idea to leave Nathan. He was lonely and Nathan was giving him attention. He thought about it for a while until he collapsed on his bed and fell asleep.


	2. Butterflies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warren is worried that Nathan is upset with him... and Nathan is worried that Warren hates him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the encouragement, those of you who left kudos and comments!
> 
> This chapter's really just kind of getting to know what I feel each boy is like.

Nathan was already sitting at their shared desk, bouncing his knees, in the Chemistry classroom when Warren walked in. Nathan never moved his seat for anyone and since he sat at the edge of the table, Warren had to squeeze himself behind Nathan’s chair to sit at his own. Setting his textbook and notebook down on the desk, he sat down. “Hey, Nathan,” he almost mumbled, always annoyed that Nathan wouldn’t move his seat.

Nathan slowly turned his head towards him and stared.

“… what?” asked Warren confused and only slightly frightened.

“Hi.” Nathan turned his head back to the chalkboard, knees still bouncing up and down.

Warren felt negative tension and it made him uncomfortable. He figured that Nathan was probably still a moody person, but he hadn’t seen him behave that way in a long time. But there wasn’t much time to think about that because Mrs. Grant walked in and there was an exam that had to be completed. It was on the chocolate lab that they had worked on the previous day. A few times during the exam Warren couldn’t help but to remember Nathan’s wet thumb on the corner of his mouth. He remembered the kiss they shared very clearly as well. Was this why Nathan was in a strange mood? It wasn’t like Warren went in for the kiss first. Nathan was very enthusiastic, he felt so on his thigh. It wasn’t his fault. So was Nathan embarrassed about it? Warren said he wouldn’t tell anyone. Was their kiss a big deal to him?

Unfortunately, Warren’s distracted thinking had made him one of the last students to finish the exam. He noticed it when Nathan finished and walked out of the classroom. Nathan never stood in his seat when he finished an exam, Warren thought that it was because he couldn’t bear to sit still in silence. Once he was finally done with his exam, the bell for class rang soon after. He walked with Brooke to the dorms as she spoke nonstop about her drone. She invited herself to his dorm but Warren declined and told her that he had a lot of homework to do. He regretted lying to her because it wasn’t like he had something better to do, but he didn’t feel right about Nathan, and well, he wanted to brood alone.

When Warren turned the corner to his part of the hallway, Nathan was there leaning against his own door, arms crossed. “Hey, Nathan,” he said as he pulled his keys out of his pocket, hands trembling slightly.

“I need to talk to you.”

“Oh, okay.” Warren pulled out his keys but turned to face Nathan.

“Open up.”

“Oh.” Warren turned around again and opened his door and shoved his keys back into his pocket. He left the door open for Nathan to follow. When he put his coat on the back of his chair he heard the door shut. He couldn't help but to think about what Nathan thought about his room. Compared to his room, Warren's was a rainbow. Nathan sat at the edge of Warren’s bed, slouching, with his elbows on his knees, clearly not thinking about the room. “So what’s up, Nathan?”

“Yesterday,” Nathan started. He watched Warren’s legs walk to stand in front of him but he didn’t look up at him. “I didn’t mean to get you high. That wasn’t my intention. I mean, I wanted to smoke with you but I didn’t mean to make you do anything you didn’t want to do. I wasn’t trying to make you unconscious or anything, that’s not what I meant to do. That wasn’t,” he sighed hard. His knees were bouncing quickly, making his whole body tremble because his arms were still resting on them. It was weird to think that he wasn't in control of them. “I… I just felt-… fuck.” Nathan sighed and reached inside his letterman jacket and pulled out a bottle of pills.

“Nathan, I’m not worried,” Warren said, worried. Nathan opened the bottle and slipped a pill between his lips, pushed his head back and swallowed, letting the two of their eyes meet. “I didn’t think you were trying to do anything bad to me.” Warren walked to his pack of bottled water, under his desk, and grabbed one and handed it to Nathan.

He grabbed the bottle, knees still bouncing. “I’m not Mr. Jefferson. I’m not a fucking freak,” he paused. “Do you think I’m a freak?” Warren saw that he looked genuinely concerned, and it was… cute.

“No,” Warren replied, softly. “I promise, I’m not bothered by yesterday at all. We only kissed.”

Nathan put his pill bottle back inside his jacket and opened the bottle of water, took a gulp and closed it back, twisting the cap very tightly. “Everybody thinks I’m a little kid. Even Victoria babies me. Everything I said yesterday… when I get high, I don’t have much of a filter. That’s not a real excuse but if it gets in my head, it’s coming out my mouth.”

“Like always,” Warren shrugged and sat beside Nathan.

“I’m… sorry. Truly.”

“Look, if you feel weird about kissing, it’s cool. It was a one time thing, then, it’s no big deal to me. I like kissing, it’s nice.”

“It’s comforting.”

“Right,” smiled Warren.

Nathan‘s knees were bouncing slower now. “I’m really trying to change. It was… It was nice hanging out with you yesterday. And everything I said, well, it was true. I… I like you. You don’t look at me any different than you did before Jefferson was kicked out of here.”

“I can see that you’re trying to change. I mean, you’re in my bedroom apologizing to me for something that doesn’t even need an apology. Having you kiss me is a lot nicer than having you hit me.”

Nathan laughed. “Sorry about that.” The day before Mr. Jefferson was escorted off campus, Nathan had charged at Warren and Max, angrily asking her all sorts of questions. When Warren tried to intervene, Nathan attacked him.

“It’s cool, we got even,” said Warren. A couple days after that incident, Chloe and Max were hanging out with him in his dorm room. When they left, they ran into Nathan and he seemed to panic from paranoia. He started yelling at them and Warren came to their defense.

“You sure do pack a punch, geek,” Nathan said playfully pushing Warren with his arm. “Uh… so why did you leave yesterday?”

Warren did not want to hurt Nathan’s feelings. Not only because he did secretly feel sorry for Nathan, but because he also did not want to anger Nathan. But he had no idea what lie to make up on the spot. “Well,” he rubbed his neck. “You had… an erection. I felt it… on my leg.”

Nathan’s eyes widened and looked away from Warren, then back at Warren, then his whole head turned away. His ears were bright red and cheeks pink, Warren tried his best to hide his smile. “I uh, get like that… when I’m high. Sorry. It’s just, when your body’s so relaxed… it just happens, y’know?” he looked at him from the corner of his eye.

“Yeah,” Warren said, softly, letting his smile escape.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I, um, I was enjoying the uh-… the closeness. I don’t really get close to people anymore.”

“What about Victoria?”

“Victoria and me… we’re not like that. I mean we hug sometimes and we even cuddle when we need to really talk about something but we’re just friends. She’s like a sister. She’s very beautiful but she’s not my type and I think I creep her out sometimes.”

Warren chuckled and Nathan glared at him. “Sorry, sorry,” he apologized.

Nathan sat up straight and faced Warren. “Do not. Fucking. Laugh at me.”

Warren held his hands out in front of him. “No, no, man. It’s just… girls find me creepy, too. I mean, look at the movies we watch, for example. I wasn’t laughing at you, I was just laughing because I can relate. I‘m not, I‘m sorry.”

Nathan sighed and went back to slouching, so Warren‘s hands came back down. He realized that Nathan’s legs were under control now.

“So like,” Warren started. “There aren’t any girls on campus that caught your eye or anything? Or boys?”

“No. Everybody pities me. I slept around before, but now chicks just avoid me. I mean, they probably rightfully avoid me because they think I’m going to drug them or something. If they don’t avoid me they just talk to me because they think I need someone to talk to. And guys… they still fuckin’ hate me here. There are zero guys in the Vortex Club that like other guys, and those are the only guys that will kind of talk to me, anyway.”

“God, must be tough.” Warren knew it was because the friends he had made when he first came to Blackwell were drifting away from him. He peered at Nathan. “Does anyone in the Vortex Club, or in the school, know that you like guys?”

Nathan shook his head. “No. I don’t think I want that to happen.”

Warren nodded slowly. “I guess that would be best. Y’know, I wasn‘t going to tell anyone, if you thought I was…”

“I didn’t think you would. But thanks.”

“No worries. It’s no one’s business.”

“Do people know about you?”

“Oh, well… I don’t… I don’t even know about me,” Warren chuckled, nervously.

“What does that mean?”

“I’ve only ever kissed two boys before. You included. I’ve never had sex with a guy before.”

“Have you had sex with a chick before?” Nathan snorted.

“Yes!” Warren nudged him. “I have, for your information.”

Nathan laughed and Warren pretended to look angry. “Guys are… they’re nice. Even when they’re thin, they’re just so strong. I dunno,” Nathan shrugged. “That’s what I like about guys, anyway. I like their strength, I like the um… the fight for power. I like to be in control usually but if I‘m not stronger than the other guy, I don‘t mind having him take control.”

Warren raised his eyebrows. “Wow. I… wouldn‘t have guessed.”

“Sorry if that sounded weird. I can’t explain it right. I don’t even know if I can explain what chicks are like.”

“I know what girls are like. They're... soft." It was the only word Warren could think of because he didn't really have much experience. “I mean, I’d probably kill to have a girl dominate me."

“That’s not my thing with chicks,” Nathan shook his head.

“I can tell. I’ve seen the art in your room,” Warren nodded. Nathan smirked. It went silent between them for a bit until Warren broke the silence. “Y’know, you can talk to me if you ever need to, Nathan.”

“Thanks.”

“You could make out with me if you ever need to, too,” he laughed.

Nathan blushed, again. Warren really liked that and wanted to make it happen more often. It was an interesting vulnerability to see in him. He looked at Warren. “I um, are you joking around?”

Warren shook his head and raised his eyebrows. “No, I’m serious.”

“Okay,” Warren could tell that Nathan was fighting back a smile. “I might take you up on that,” he hung his head again.

Before it got silent again, Warren changed the subject. “So you still get super anxious, huh? Because of, y’know, the pills.”

Nathan nodded. “You been hangin’ around Max too much. You’re getting nosy.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I uh, yeah, I’m not exactly curable. Pot helps me too. I only really smoke it when I get anxious or when I know I‘m going to _get_ anxious.”

“Have things improved for you?” 

“I think so,” he nodded again. “My medications haven changed. They work better than the shit I was taking before. My father actually comes to therapy with me twice a month now. Sometimes we have lunch,” Nathan smiled. “I think there have been lots of improvements.” He looked to be pleased. Warren didn’t know what it was like to not have a parent actively involved in his life. But Nathan proved to be a good example of what type of person one could turn into due to neglect. Of course, that wasn’t Nathan’s only problem, but it was a prominent one. 

“That’s great, Nathan. I’m glad. I kind of thought your dad was an asshole, honestly.” 

“No, he is. But when all that shit was going down, the lawyer that he paid for really understood my position and told my father that the only way I could get better was if he actually played a role in my life and maybe went to some therapy meetings with me. Our meetings are only about twenty or thirty minutes. Getting better's a lot of messy stuff,” he looked at Warren from the corner of his eye again. “But it's necessary.” 

“I understand,” Warren replied, enthusiastically. “It’s cool, man. Don’t sweat it.” 

Nathan stood up from the bed and Warren watched him, and maybe he even admired him. “Victoria’s waiting for me,” he said and walked towards Warren’s door. “I’ll see you around,” he turned and then exited the dorm. 

Warren let himself fall back onto his bed. Nathan Prescott smoked pot in front of Warren Graham because he was nervous to be around him. That’s what it seemed like anyway. This was interesting to Warren and there was a feeling in his stomach that was interesting, too. It was the same feeling he felt around Max for a long time until she started to very obviously date Chloe. 

Butterflies? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate my super slow starts, haha


	3. Hunger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warren is terribly lonely and just wants to cuddle someone.

It was Friday night, the night of another Vortex Club party, when Warren felt like the loneliest guy on the planet, again. It was almost uncomfortably quiet in the boy’s dorm. Even though people said a lot of negative things about the Vortex Club, they still attended their parties. Except Warren. He did go to a few of their parties before, but felt out of place and left early each time. They always had the same people, same music, same drinks. How did people enjoy that?

Warren tried texting Max, but she most likely wasn’t answering because she was with Chloe. He tried texting Brooke, who was always on her phone, but she wasn’t answering his text messages either. He even tried Alyssa and Kate. But only Kate answered, and what she sent him was a long apology about how she wished she could hang out with him but that she didn’t want to ruin the creative flow that she had while creating her children’s book. Warren wished he had made male friends. But girls were so much easier to befriend. So he was stuck alone in his bedroom, as usual.

Between the previous day and this day, he had already watched three of the new movies he downloaded earlier in the week. Irreversible was left but he just didn’t feel like a movie at that particular time. Warren wanted to talk to someone and feel their presence. He wanted to not feel so small on his twin sized bed. When he felt lonely, it felt too big. Maybe he wanted to cuddle in it, too. Yes, that’s what he wanted. He wanted body heat. Maybe it was a good thing Kate didn’t come over, would she cuddle with him? Alyssa was a huge cuddler but no answer from her. He remembered once that he cuddled in between Chloe and Max at Chloe’s house, in her living room. The two girls were watching Blade Runner without him and when he arrived, he purposely sat in between them with his arms around them both. But they didn’t mind and cuddled up to him and Warren felt like _the man_.

Warren groaned at the memory and wrapped himself head to toe in his blanket. He wasn’t even under it for a minute before his phone vibrated. He hoped it was Max or Alyssa. He popped his head out of his blanket and looked at his phone on his nightstand. There was an eleven digit number and underneath the numbers, a message, “Where R U?”

Warren furrowed his eyebrows, not recognizing the number at all. He sat up in his bed, grabbed his phone and typed, “Who is this?” Warren stared at his phone and waited for a reply.

A name appeared and it made him smile. “Nathan.”

He saved the number on his phone. He wondered whether he should save it under Nate or Nathan. He thought saving it under Nate would be cooler, because it would feel like they were friends. But he settled for Nathan because he thought it’d be embarrassing if Nathan saw the nickname. “I’m in my dorm. How did you get my number?” he typed into the phone.

A reply arrived seconds later. “Vic. I’ll B there.”

Warren’s mind was racing as he stared at Nathan’s text. Why did Victoria Chase have his phone number in the first place? But wait, no, Nathan Prescott was going to Warren Graham’s room during a Vortex Club party? Warren was confused but still kind of excited. He couldn’t help but to immediately think about kissing him. How could he not? They did agree that they could make out sometimes. Kissing was just as good as cuddling. But what about, oh no, maybe Warren was getting ahead of himself, but what about kissing _and_ cuddling? He smiled as he felt the tiny stirring in his stomach come back, and he realized that he was thinking about Nathan the same way that he had thought about Max, again.

He tried to think for a few moments about how he was a guy and Nathan was also a guy. But Warren just didn’t give a flying fuck. There was no contemplation like your average aggressive heterosexual man. He kind of liked Nathan, and that was that. It was completely acceptable for him. It was the same as the first guy he kissed, Luke Parker, at a Vortex club party. Warren was just leaving the party when Luke had called over to him, dick in hand, peeing against a wall. Warren smiled at him and continued walking but Luke called to him again and told him to come over. When Warren looked back again, he was more decent, zipping up his jeans, so Warren walked over to him. Luke was very drunk and wanted details from when Warren roughed up Nathan. Warren didn’t turn down a chance to brag, so he did. But Luke didn’t seem to be paying much attention. Warren didn’t think he had paid any attention at all once Luke grabbed a handful of his hair and kissed him. At first, Warren kissed him back because he didn’t want to be rude. But then, Warren was impressed by Luke’s skill and became enthusiastic about the kiss. But when Luke pulled away from him and attached his lips to Warren’s neck, he became uncomfortable. It was unexpected and Luke was too drunk. Warren had gently pushed Luke off of him and Luke had groaned and mumbled something. Warren didn’t think anything about the kiss other than what a great kisser Luke was. He didn’t think anything either when Luke wouldn’t go near him days after.

Warren was still sitting on his bed staring at his phone when his door swung open and Nathan entered, slamming it closed. Clearly angry and removing his wet letterman jacket he began grumbling to himself. He threw the wet jacket on Warren’s desk and started to remove his cardigan.

“What’s the matter?” Warren asked, slowly, placing his phone back on his nightstand.

“It’s so fucking hot in this place.” Nathan threw his cardigan on the edge of Warren’s bed. “And I’m so fucking _sick_ of people! My life is not some fucking happy fantasy just because my family’s got money,” he began pacing the room.

“Bad night?”

Nathan glared at him, with bloodshot eyes, and snorted. “Bad night. Yeah, I had a real fucking bad night. Zach made a big fucking scene while I was talking to some chick and he made her fucking walk away from me. He told her to be careful or I’d drug her. He might as well have fucking announced it into a damn microphone,” he stopped pacing and placed his hands on Warren’s desk.

Warren pouted. “Wow, I’m sorry. Zach’s a dick.”

“He’s so fucking lucky I didn’t knock him on his ass. It was so fucking embarrassing… and Victoria wouldn’t leave with me.”

“So I’m Plan B?”

Nathan whipped his head around to look at Warren and began to speak through his teeth. “You said I could talk to you if I needed to and I needed to talk.”

Warren raised his eyebrows and held his hands up. “Oh, no. I was just joking.” He became uncomfortable, this wasn’t how he expected the night to go. Nathan stared down at his hands for a while. Warren wasn‘t sure what to do to comfort him. The girls that he had comforted needed a shoulder to cry on, was that what Nathan needed? Warren wouldn’t have minded if he did. “Is there anything else you want to talk about?” he asked.

He looked at Warren again, weirdly appearing calmer. “Actually, I think I just want to forget about it. Zach totally fucked up my high. You up for a smoke?”

Nathan usually only smoked when he was nervous, Warren remembered that. “Um, no,” he said. “I’d rather you not smoke in here, too.”

Nathan furrowed his eyebrows and got away from the desk.

Warren wanted to comfort him but got shy about it. “We could watch a movie. It’ll get your mind off of what happened. Movies do that, usually,” he shrugged. He still didn’t feel like watching a movie but he wasn’t sure what else to suggest.

Nathan thought for a moment. “What movie?”

“Irreversible,” Warren said and reached for his laptop that he had placed on his floor earlier. He plopped it on his bed, opened it up and began searching for the movie. Nathan slowly walked over to the bed and took off his shoes. Warren scooted over so he could sit on it with him. “I haven’t seen this one just yet.”

“What’s it about?” his fingers began tapping his knees at a steady pace.

As the movie started to play, Warren moved the laptop so they could both see it comfortably. He looked at Nathan to answer him. “These two guys take revenge on a man that raped one of their girlfriends.” Nathan raised his eyebrows and hunched over a little as he watched the laptop screen. His hair was slightly damp and Warren sort of wanted to touch it. Nathan’s hair was always so perfectly placed. How did he do that? What did it feel like? How did he style it in the mornings?

“Does it ever stop?” Nathan asked.

Warren looked away from Nathan and at the screen, which was showing a spinning scene. “Oh, the spinning?”

“Yeah, it’s kind of giving me a headache. I don’t even know what I’m looking at, so much spinning. I’m glad I’m not high anymore.”

Warren chuckled. “Yeah, I read that this goes on for a bit. Supposedly when this film first played in movie festivals, a lot of people just ended up leaving because they couldn’t handle the spinning.”

“Shit.” Nathan watched the screen intently despite the fact that the scene was still spinning.

Warren noticed that he was able to faintly smell Nathan’s scent again, but he wanted to smell it fully. He wished that he was able to just ask for a kiss or something. But he was frozen. He guessed that if he could brush himself against Nathan that he just might get the hint. But how? Warren thought about it for a moment and settled with his knee. He adjusted himself so that he could sit with his legs folded. But his plan was foiled. His knee was very close to Nathan but just not close enough. It took a few minutes for Warren to build up the courage to just scoot closer to Nathan. This time his knee poking into the side of Nathan’s thigh.

Warren watched as Nathan looked at his knee from the corner of his eye. The eye slowly rolled upward to look at Warren and then Nathan’s head turned. Warren panicked quietly and quickly looked at the laptop screen. He heard Nathan snort, then saw his hand reach over to the laptop and shut it. He grabbed the laptop and leaned over the bed to place it on the floor. When he did his shirt lifted showing under an inch of bare skin from his back. He’d seen Nathan shirtless and in the small swim shorts that all the boy’s had to wear for practice, but this… was different.

“You could just ask, Warren,” said Nathan when he rose back up.

Warren chuckled. “I… I got nervous.”

Nathan smiled and crawled in front of Warren. “You don’t have to be nervous. I’m the one with anxiety.”

Warren scrunched his face but smiled.

“I like this better than a movie to make me forget about things. Especially if you don’t want me to smoke in here.”

Nathan leaned forward and Warren closed the distance between them. He could smell his scent much better now and it made him smile into the kiss. Kissing Nathan high was different than kissing him sober. He wasn’t overly relaxed and just letting it happen. Now, he could think clearly and focus. Nathan wasn’t sloppy with his kisses. His lips weren’t all over the place. They were soft and steady. Sometimes in between their open mouth kissing, he would pull away slightly and plant smaller, closed mouth kisses on Warren’s lips. Warren had never kissed anyone like Nathan. With all of his kisses before, he couldn’t stop wondering if he was doing it right, or why the other person kissed that way, or how many people they kissed before they kissed him. With Nathan, he could just sit there and feel his lips become a part of his own. The kissing became rhythmic and addicting. Warren didn’t want to stop. Especially when he felt Nathan’s hands.

Nathan had placed them on Warren’s shoulders and one had slid upwards to his neck, thumb on his cheek. Slightly rough fingers somewhat massaging the skin they touched as they kissed. Nathan kissed Warren deeper and Warren reciprocated, bravely slipping his tongue inside Nathan’s mouth as soon as he had the slightest opportunity. Nathan’s thumb slipped over Warren’s chin, underneath it, and then over his Adam’s apple. With a hand now around his neck, Warren brushed the tip of his tongue against Nathan‘s for a second time. Warren felt him inhale sharply. The fingers behind Warren’s neck pressed a little bit tighter as he sucked another kiss from Warren’s lips. Their tongues met again and this time it was because Nathan’s was shoving through. Warren didn’t usually have another tongue in his mouth when he kissed people. But he really liked the feeling. It was incredibly sexy.

Warren pushed his mouth against Nathan’s as they continued to kiss passionately. The hand that was on Warren’s shoulder went to Warren’s knee and the other hand tightened around his neck, thumb pressing against his Adam’s apple. Nathan was breathing harder and the fact that it was Warren making him feel this way, made Warren’s pants feel a little tighter. Warren wasn’t sure what to feel about the hand around his neck, it turned him on a tiny bit but it also felt dangerous.

Nathan forcefully pushed forward and squeezed what both his hands were holding onto. But the thumb on Warren’s throat was starting to feel threatening. So he pulled away but Nathan didn’t. He stared at him, hand around his neck, with a look on his face that Warren hadn’t seen in him before. Hunger. Warren was breathing through his mouth with some difficulty, and Nathan must have noticed because he slowly let go of him. He looked down at his lap and placed his hands on his knees. “I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he said.

“It was just a little.” But Warren could still feel his hand around his throat.

Nathan raised his head. “I won’t do it again.”

Warren shrugged. “I didn’t hate it. It was just… new. Maybe just, uh,” he chuckled. “Not so hard next time.”

Nathan smiled. “Next time. You don’t think I’m weird?”

Warren swallowed, still feeling a slight tightness in his throat. “I think you’re misunderstood.”

Nathan’s smile slowly faded. “Do you mind if I stay here tonight?”

Warren shook his head.

Nathan leaned close to him and Warren waited to be kissed again. But Nathan moved to kiss Warren’s cheek hard, instead. “Thanks,” he said. It made Warren grin.

Nathan was grinning as well when he laid down with his hands behind his head. Warren glanced at his pants. Each boy had the same problem and Warren wanted to resolve it. He never felt this way towards another guy and he was curious to figure out what it was like to relieve the feeling, with Nathan. The first time he felt Nathan’s bulge, the timing felt all wrong. But it just didn’t anymore. Warren stood up, switched off the light and laid beside Nathan.

Although he wanted to make out with Nathan some more, he still wanted to do what he had been wanting to do the entire night. So he gathered all his courage and rested his head on Nathan’s chest. At first he was tense and waited for Nathan to ask him what he was doing. But then he felt Nathan’s head rise for a bit and then an arm around his shoulder. Nathan Prescott was cuddling Warren Graham. He relaxed and placed an arm around Nathan’s waist and couldn’t help but to hug him closer. He liked his slightly muscular body. He thought about moving his hands to touch him some more, to explore, but instead, Warren fell asleep trying to think about exactly what it was that Nathan smelled like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Progress!


	4. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warren acts out of loneliness, and soon regrets it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are really cute with your comments and kudos and bookmarks, I love you all :3

_Sighs. Gasps. Shivers._

_"Fuck, Warren."_

_Panting. Strong hands. Thrusting and shivering. And..._

Warren quietly groaned into what he forgot was Nathan's chest. He felt relaxed but he felt a definite wetness in his underwear and froze. What if it went through his pants? He realized that his leg was sprawled over Nathan's. What if Nathan felt the wetness?

"You alright?" he heard him ask.

Warren slid his head upwards and looked at him. "Yeah, good morning."

"Morning. I was waiting for you to get up. I didn‘t want to wake you, but I have to go. I like to take my meds before I have breakfast.”

Warren hugged Nathan tightly. "Not so soon, man. Just stay here a bit."

Nathan chuckled and gently placed his hand on Warren's head. "Were you comfortable?"

"Yeah. You? Did you sleep well?”

Nathan began to pet Warren's head. "I didn’t sleep much. I mean, I did, but I was kind of in and out of it. It’s hard for me sometimes. I was comfortable though.”

“Oh, that sucks. You could have woken me up-”

“It’s okay, don’t sweat it. I never sleep with anyone like this. I've fallen asleep spooning Victoria but she moves a lot in her sleep so usually we end up in different positions."

"I've never fallen asleep with someone else period."

"Do you like it?"

"I do. Making out and then falling asleep cuddling is really great."

Nathan smiled. "Careful, I'll turn you into a romantic."

They both laughed. "You're a... cool guy to spend time with."

"Thanks," he smiled again.

"We should do it more often."

"We will."

Warren smiled and slid his head back downward. He wanted to just feel Nathan before he left him. This was something to savor, waking up with someone in the morning. He was sure that this was the happiest he had been in all of his time spent at Blackwell Academy.

"So how was your wet dream? I can't even believe you still get those."

Warren's eyes widened and he shot up, removing his leg off Nathan. "What?"

Nathan placed his hands behind his head. His face was smug. "You were kinda makin’ noises in your sleep and then you finally moaned and woke up. You dream about Max and Chloe fucking?"

"Ugh, shut up Nathan." Warren looked at his pants, and yes, there was the wet spot. He hugged his knees together and let his back face Nathan.

"I'll admit it, I've thought about it. Chloe is definitely the top in that relationship. You think they use toys?"

Warren looked back at him with a straight face. He _had_ thought about Max and Chloe a few times but he sure as Hell wasn’t going to admit it.

“They’re both skinny but they’d probably look pretty hot fucking each other with strap-ons.”

"Nathan, shut the fuck up.”

Nathan laughed and stretched. His shirt revealing a tiny bit of his midriff. He caught Warren looking and sat up. "You dream about me?"

Warren wished there was a way to control blushing. But he also wished that he could kiss Nathan again. "A little bit."

"A little bit? Nice. Gimme details."

"No."

“Come on,” he poked Warren’s side.

“No.”

“Warren,” he poked both his sides repeatedly.

Warren squirmed and laughed at the tickles. “No, I’m not telling you anything!”

"Was Max there too? She's not my type, but if she asked, I think I would go for it."

Warren rolled his eyes and failed at trying not to smile. "You're a dick."

Nathan got up from the bed and adjusted his clothing. He put on his shoes quietly and Warren leaned his head on his knees and just watched him. It was interesting for him to see Nathan do little things like this. He grabbed his letterman jacket and took his keys out of it. “I’m gonna go.”

"Wanna get breakfast later?" Warren asked. He felt like he sounded desperate but he didn’t want their time together to end.

Nathan half smiled and turned toward the door. "Maybe," he said and exited.

A big sigh escaped from Warren as he threw himself back on his bed. Nathan mother fucking Prescott great. He was grateful that he wasn’t so far gone anymore. He wasn’t on the right medications and his father was neglecting him, add in Mr. Jefferson’s corruption and you had a psychopath before this angel that was just in his bed. He began to wonder if Nathan left his scent behind. He crawled upward on his bed, ignoring the wetness in his pants, to the spot where Nathan had laid during the night. He lowered his head and pressed his nose into the pillow. There it was. There was no way for him to describe it but he wished he could just know what it was that Nathan wore. He hugged his pillow and smiled. He knew he was in some deep shit.

Warren shot up in bed, realizing that he had fallen back asleep. What if Nathan had sent him a text message about breakfast? He quickly grabbed his phone from his nightstand but there was only a message from Brooke apologizing for not answering the previous night. He sighed and responded to her. He noticed that it was now eleven in the morning and that Nathan was probably having brunch with Victoria or something. Was that something they did?

He decided that a shower was more important than thinking about this. He got up from his bed and removed his pants, letting them fall near Nathan's cardigan that had probably fallen onto the floor in the middle of the night. Warren grabbed it and closed his eyes as he smelled it. The scent of Nathan was entangled in it. He decided to stuff it evenly in his pillowcase so that he could smell it the next time he went to bed. It was only weird if someone found out.

He put on a cleaner but probably still dirty pair of pajama pants and grabbed his towel and shower caddy. As he walked out his room and toward the showers he glanced at Nathan's door. It was Saturday, he probably had things to do. Maybe didn’t mean yes, and Nathan was not obligated to hang out with Warren. He would live. The showers were almost all full except for one. Everyone had something to do on Saturday except Warren. Or maybe all these guys also had a wet dream. Once Warren done with his shower he noticed Luke at a sink brushing his teeth.

"Hey, Luke," he greeted him.

Luke nodded at him. Warren took it as a good sign that he didn't look nervous this time. He put his towel over his head and began drying his hair. He wondered if it was too much to ask Luke what he was going to be doing that day. But it probably was. He should probably stick to his usual friends. So instead of finishing there, he went back to his bedroom.

He got back in time to hear his phone ringing. Thinking that it was Nathan, he rushed to it, almost dropping his shower caddy, in the process. But it wasn't Nathan, it was Brooke.

"Hey," he greeted into the phone.

"Hello, Warren. Would you like to come over? Unless you have something better to do."

"I didn't, I can come. I'll be there in like fifteen minutes."

"Okay, cool," she said lastly, hanging up the phone without a goodbye.

Warren got dressed as quick as he could and dried his hair off as best as he could. He was happy that he wouldn’t have to be alone. Weekends were the worst for him at Blackwell. Although he had a positive demeanor, he never ceased to feel small and alone. While everyone was out having fun and spending time together, he was always holed up in his room watching stuff on his laptop. Everyone always had someone, and he always had his laptop. But Brooke was inviting him over, so he didn’t have to think about being alone so much.

While exiting his bedroom he glanced at Nathan’s door again. He couldn’t help but to wonder what he was up to. The walk from the boy’s dorm to Brooke’s room was a short one since it was just down a few flights of stairs. He read her slate as he knocked on her door. **Sorry about my drone puns, I know they’re not remotely funny** with a tiny doodle of her drone on the side.

The door opened and out popped Brooke’s head, with its usual ponytail. “Hello, Warren.”

Warren smiled and she let him inside. He had been in there before. They had studied together and watched movies. Warren expected to do something similar but when he plopped himself on her bed, he noticed that she was only wearing a sweatshirt and panties. He felt his face go warm and his eyebrows raise. This was better than a movie and much better than studying. “Where are your clothes?” Smooth.

Brooke didn’t say anything at first she just sat next to Warren as he watched her. “I’ve come to my senses, Warren. I want to have sex but I don’t want to have sex with just any guy at Blackwell. Most guys here will just go telling everyone on campus who they had sex with. But I think I can trust that you won’t be like that. I hope not anyway.”

Warren’s eyebrows were still raised and he didn’t know what to say to her.

She took off her glasses and placed them on her nightstand. “Kiss me, Warren,” she said, leaning into him slightly.

He closed in and met her lips. He wasn’t prepared for the hand that went to the back of his head to pull him closer, nor the other hand that pulled his hand to her thigh. Her lips were eager and forceful, her movements hasty. The first time he had sex with a girl, neither of them even took their clothes off. There wasn’t a whole lot of touching, it lasted a lot shorter than he would like to admit and the girl walked away from it all extremely unimpressed. Brooke was kissing him with a desire that he was not feeling himself, but he wanted to impress her.

He tried to catch up with her pace, kissing her back with equal force and letting his hand slide up her thigh. Feeling bare skin was kindling the desire in him. He boldly pushed his body onto hers and she wrapped both of her arms around his neck. She pulled him toward her and he carefully straddled her. Being on top of her had raised the desire within him immediately. As they kissed, he wondered how many people she had kissed before him. She was probably more experienced than he was. She probably thought he was doing a bad job. He hesitantly slipped a hand under her sweatshirt as far as she was going to let it. Luckily, she let it go right where he aimed.

This was Warren’s first breast. It sent very slight tingles up his arm and very obvious tingles in his crotch. He squeezed slightly over Brooke’s bra and she smiled through their kiss. He smiled back, so much that he had to lift his head and let out a chuckle. They watched each other as Warren slid his hand underneath her bra. She smiled again when his finger slid over her nipple. “Enjoying yourself?” she asked him.

“This is nice,” he said with another squeeze.

She chuckled and pulled herself up and restarted their kissing. Before Warren could even think about where his hands should go next, Brooke was undoing his pants. The first time he had sex, it was rushed. He didn’t want to rush this time, but he didn’t want to disappoint Brooke either. Brooke pulled away from him and asked him to grab a condom from her nightstand. He lifted himself from her and nervously walked to her nightstand, opened it, and took out an unopened pack of condoms. He struggled to open the box because his hands were trembling slightly but he eventually got it done. When he turned around, Brooke was completely naked. She was very thin but had sizable breasts that Warren never noticed because she always wore big sweatshirts. Her pubic mound was unexpectedly hairless, as the rest of her.

He exhaled harshly while admiring her body and he definitely needed to take his pants off at this point. She grinned at him, probably noticing his excitement. He undressed quickly, but apparently not quickly enough because Brooke managed to check her phone while he undressed. He sat on her bed and slipped the condom over his penis and crawled over her. She placed her phone back on her nightstand and grabbed his penis. Warren groaned slightly at her touch and lowered himself down in the direction that she was leading him. She moaned in relief as he entered her halfway. “Alright,” she said. “I’m all yours now.”

Warren grabbed her hip with one hand and tried to focus on not being terrible. He was able to kiss her a few times while he thrust slowly. Her lips, her neck, her chest. And Brooke seemed to be enjoying herself as well. She was whimpering quietly and even smiling sometimes. Warren felt confident enough to speed his pace up and it lasted all of... eight minutes?

Warren groaned and let himself go too soon. He collapsed on top of her and he felt her tense up beneath him. He gently pulled himself out of her and rolled to the other side of her bed.

“Wow, Warren.”

He didn’t say anything.

“I guess I shouldn’t have expected more.”

He wanted to melt through her sheets all the way down until he met dirt.

“Will you at least help me finish off?”

“Y-yeah,” he finally said. He sat up and removed the condom from himself. He threw it in her trash can and redressed himself. He watched her on her phone again. He stood there and waited for her to finish typing whatever it was that she was typing.

“Come here,” she threw her legs off the bed and let them hang. She leaned up on her elbows and motioned to the space between her legs.

Warren got down on his knees so that he was staring directly at her vulva. He wasn’t sure what to do. He’d seen porn plenty of times before but he never paid attention to it in that way. Nevertheless, he stopped thinking about it and went in for the kill.

Warren licked upward from her vagina to her clitoris and it earned him a sigh from Brooke. He repeated the action a few times until he remembered that he wasn’t supposed to do the same thing over and over again. He gently pushed his tongue through her vagina which made Brooke’s hand grab a handful of his hair. He grabbed her thighs as he moved his tongue in and out of her. It made his jaw ache but he had to please her. He watched as she placed her hand over the hood of her clitoris and began to rub in circles. Every now and then her fingers bumping his nose.

When Brooke reached her orgasm Warren was relieved. He was glad that she had an orgasm but he was even more glad that his jaw was going to get some rest. She squirmed with delight and Warren smiled at the wetness between her legs. She asked him if he wanted to stay but he still felt embarrassed. He lied to her and told her that he had plans with Max and she rolled her eyes. 

Warren thought that this was why he was single. He couldn’t get girls to like him more than just a friend. If it did happen, he would just fuck it all up, like he had just did with Brooke. She was definitely not going to invite him over again any time soon. It was probably best that he stayed in his room for the rest of the school year and never came out again.

As Warren miserably exited Brooke’s room he was met by Max who was also exiting her own. She smiled and folded her arms as he walked toward her. “Hey, Warren. I see you coming out of Brooke’s room.”

“Uh, yeah. We were just hanging out,” he said, forcing a smile.

“Sure,” she said as they began walking down the hall together.

He furrowed his eyebrows. “And when Chloe’s in your room?”

“Just hanging out,” she grinned and they both laughed. “I saw Nathan going into Victoria‘s room after I got out the showers, too. No one pays attention to the rules around here,” she said, pretending to be offended. 

“Says the girl that broke into the pool after hours.”

“Chloe’s influence,” she smirked. “Speaking of which, I’m gonna go meet her. We‘re going to the Two Whales, wanna join?”

This would probably get his mind off of what had happened between he and Brooke. “Uh, yeah. Can we stop by my dorm just so I can just get my coat on?”

Max nodded as she pulled out her phone and exited through the double doors.

Warren ended up spending the rest of the day with Max and Chloe and still felt like the loneliest guy on the planet. Even when they were all participating in a conversation, he could see the two girls' chemistry. The way they looked at each other or laughed with each other. There were even times where Chloe would idly touch Max and it made Warren ache for his own companion. He knew that he had a lot to offer, but it seemed that no one really wanted him. Even Brooke only wanted sex from him, which he ended up being terrible at. It was like he was wasting his potential to be a good boyfriend. But he didn‘t have many opportunities to try. That night, he curled up in his bed fighting off tears and trying to forget about Brooke. But then he fell asleep smelling Nathan’s scent through his pillow, pretending that it was him. He didn’t have to pretend for long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if you thought this was going to be sexy straight smut, but let's be realistic here, the first couple times you have sex, it's awkward as heck.


	5. Sweet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warren visits Nathan in his dorm again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here are 4.2k words for you all :)

It was almost two in the morning when Warren woke up to his cell phone vibrating violently on his nightstand. He was going to ignore it but he figured that it was some type of emergency if someone was trying to get in contact with him that late at night, or early in the morning. He lazily reached over to the phone and squinted at the brightness. It took him a while to read Nathan’s name across the screen. He grinned as he answered it.

“Yo! What’re you doing?” Nathan asked. “Did I fuckin' wake you?”

“Well, yeah,” answered Warren sitting himself up in the darkness. “I had a long day.”

“I saw you in the girl’s dorm with Max.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you guys were going through the doors while I was getting out of Victoria’s room. Recognized your shoulders and Max’s stupid head.”

“My shoulders?” Warren raised his eyebrows. Nathan noticed things about him?

“What’d you guys do?” he asked, ignoring his question.

“Just hung out with Chloe.”

“That it?”

“Yeah?”

“I thought you were going to give me some details about how you guys all fucked or something.”

Warren couldn’t help but to laugh. “No, Nathan. We ate and watched movies and played video games.”

“See, ate what? Pussy?”

“Nathan, shut up!” he laughed again.

“Ah, you’re no fun. There’s no way you hang out with them so much and don’t get any action.”

“Is it so that unbelievable that they only want each other?”

“Who wouldn’t want sweet little Warren Graham cracker?”

Warren smiled and felt his face warm up. “I’m taller than you.”

"Only by a little."

"I'm pretty sure Chloe's even taller than you."

"So you like keeping an eye on her?"

"I don't. She's too punk rock for me."

"Didn't you say you'd like to have a chick dominate you?"

Warren snorted. "Not my friend's girlfriend."

"We gotta get you laid, Warren."

Warren wasn't the kind of guy to kiss and tell. He wanted to instill Brooke's trust in him. But he didn't want to seem pathetic. He wanted to impress Nathan. "I actually got laid _today_."

"What?” Nathan sounded very interested. “You just told me you didn't do anything with them."

Warren chuckled. "No, I didn't. I was with Brooke."

"Brooke." There was a pause. "You gonna gimme details?"

Warren should have known that Nathan would ask for details. He thought that now he had to make something up because he definitely didn‘t have anything impressive to say about what happened. But again, he thought of nothing. "I was bad," he said, sounding more defeated than he would have liked.

"Really?" Nathan's voice was softer now.

"I just don't have a lot of practice."

"She's probably a ho, that's-"

"No, Nathan. I mean, who cares anyway? And, don't tell anyone, she told me not to."

"Alright, I won't. I'm sorry."

"She was really insulted by me or something."

"She make you feel bad?"

"Yeah, actually. She's a very blunt person. I... I dunno, I came quickly and she told me to go down on her and I was just confused."

Nathan chuckled. "Poor little virgin."

This upset Warren. He almost wanted to just hang up the phone on Nathan at that point. He was being insensitive. But of course he was, he was Nathan Prescott after all.

"I can teach you," said Nathan.

"What do you mean?"

"How to please chicks."

Warren mulled over Nathan's offer.

"You there?" asked Nathan.

"Yeah."

"Come over. Lemme teach you."

"It's late."

"Get your stupid ass over here already, this is a once in a life time chance. I probably wouldn‘t offer this if I wasn‘t so high."

Warren shook his head and chuckled. "Alright. Give me a few minutes."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Warren smiled and looked at the time. He was usually only ever up at this time playing video games. But this time, he was hanging out with Nathan Prescott again, and possibly getting some bedroom tips. He got up from his bed and straightened out his clothes, which were a matching Doctor Who t-shirt and pajama pants set. Was this going to be too nerdy? Warren didn't care enough to think about it for long.

He walked through his door, regretting that he was barefoot, and walked the short distance to Nathan's bedroom. When he opened it, the pungent smell of marijuana hit him in the face. He shut the door behind him and saw Nathan hunched over at his computer desk. He turned around, eyes red and heavy, to smile at Warren and turned back to his computer. The projector on his ceiling was turned on and displaying pornographic icons. Nathan was going to teach Warren how to please women via free internet video clips.

Warren sat on his bed in the same spot he was last time, against Nathan’s headboard. He thought it was a little bit weird that Nathan was looking for the right porn but he certainly wasn't against it. He liked porn and watching it with someone that he maybe had a crush on didn't sound so bad. Up on the search bar, Warren saw that Nathan was searching for softcore videos. Was this really the type of porn that Nathan liked? Warren glanced at the bondage poster to his left and thought otherwise.

After a while, Nathan climbed onto the bed next to Warren, wireless mouse in hand. "Alright, Warren. My name is Professor Prescott. I will be teaching you a lesson on how to make chicks want you again and again."

Warren laughed shyly and Nathan nudged him. He clicked the mouse and the video started to play. An attractive nude, straight couple appeared and they were kissing delicately, the man on top of the woman. The man began to trail kisses down the woman's neck slowly and carefully. Once he reached her breasts he held them carefully in his hands and trailed kisses across them. He slowly massaged them, kissed each nipple and gently licked and sucked on them. The woman was slowly writhing in pleasure.

"You see," Nathan started to speak. "With most chicks, you gotta start slow. You need to let them get real wet and warm, so they can practically beg you for it. Guys, we can't handle chicks sometimes, there's so much beauty in them that we fuckin' explode almost immediately."

Warren smiled at him, meekly, and then laughed when he heard the woman in the video moan.

Nathan chuckled, himself. "We have to focus on them and spend a lot of time on them because they always take work. With us, well, there's not much to us. With chicks, there's a lot they have going on and all of it needs attention. They come first. And they should also cum first. If you can get a chick to cum before you do, I can almost guarantee she'll want to return the favor with a lot of enthusiasm. If not, she'll definitely tell her friends about you."

“How about if you want to cum inside her? I… did that.”

“Well, ideally she can cum with you inside her. If she cums first, and she’s impressed or in love with you, she’ll probably let you keep going. And if you’re really good, you can even make her cum again this way. You never want to see it in her face that she's just letting you have sex with her, it's weird. And _man_ , it feels amazing when they orgasm. You can feel her muscle squeeze on your dick.”

Warren didn't feel that when he came. He did feel his tongue get pushed out when Brooke had her orgasm, though. "What about if you wanna cum at the same time?"

Nathan slapped his hand onto Warren's shoulder. "That almost only happens in movies, brah. Sorry. If you are ever so lucky to cum at the exact time a chick does, please call me and I will throw a party."

Warren laughed. The man in the video now had his head in between the woman's legs. "How about this?"

"Hm. I don’t really know how to tell you about oral, exactly. Unless I could demonstrate. You can kind of just watch actual lesbian porn, I think. Not fake, gay for pay, lesbian porn. But like, one hundred percent actual lesbian porn. Then just pay close attention. Maybe they even have tutorials on eating pussy. Hm." Nathan looked like he was thinking as he continued to watch the video.

Warren was becoming aroused from hearing the woman whimper. The man rose his head from between her legs and used his fingers to continue to pleasure her as they started to kiss again. Warren wanted to kiss Nathan, too. Nathan reached over Warren to place his mouse on his nightstand. He didn't smell like himself, he smelled like weed. But that didn't stop Warren from still wanting to kiss him.

Nathan stared at Warren while he watched the projected scene, until Warren nervously looked back at him. “What?” he asked.

"You wanna practice?" Nathan asked him.

Warren smiled. "In case you haven't already realized, neither of us are girls."

Nathan laughed and slowly straddled Warren and Warren watched him in submissive awe. He lifted Warren's chin and placed a small kiss on his lips. "You be the chick," he said. “It’s always good to know what she might be feeling.” He kissed Warren's cheek and Warren counted eight kisses until he ended up at his collarbone. This was a new activity for them and Warren most definitely approved of it. This was Nathan Prescott kissing his body. He felt a warm wetness go from his collarbone to his jaw and he was definitely hard now. "If you don't want to ask, that's how you find out what a chick likes," Nathan said, softly. "Just try something small and pay attention to her response."

Warren nodded his head and Nathan bit softly at the skin on his neck. He exhaled and placed his hands on Nathan's legs.

"So what do you like, Warren?" They were now face to face. The video behind Nathan's head had stopped playing without either of them noticing. Nathan’s eyes were bloodshot and heavy and Warren wondered if he had only called him because he was high and horny. It didn’t really matter to him though.

"This is nice. But, maybe you should try some things and pay attention."

Nathan chuckled and kissed him on the lips. Before Nathan parted he took Warren's bottom lip between his teeth and slowly pulled away. There was a hunger in Nathan's eyes again and Warren felt as if he was literally about to swoon. He felt Nathan's hands slowly lifting his shirt and Warren grabbed the hem. At first he didn’t want to lift it up but then he did it anyway. He wanted to feel closeness. Nathan's lips came down onto Warren's collarbone again and Warren counted five kisses until Nathan was at the center of his chest. He bit gently on Warren's pectoral and it was surprising but delightful.

Nathan’s head raised and his lips met Warren’s once more. They shared only a couple quick kisses before their tongues were the only things moving. As their tongues danced together, Nathan’s hands rubbed slowly up and down Warren’s torso. Warren rubbed his hands forwards and backwards over Nathan’s thighs, in response. But he pulled away and just looked at Warren.

“Is that okay?” Warren asked. “That I touch you?”

Nathan smiled slightly and nodded.

His hands went down to the waistband of Warren's pajamas. This was it. Warren lifted slightly and they were pulled just enough to let out his penis, which tapped onto stomach after escape. He was almost completely vulnerable now. Nathan could do whatever he wanted, or so he felt. He wondered if his size was okay to Nathan, he knew that he wasn't small but he surely wasn't big. He wondered if his penis looked weird. He wondered if he needed to manscape some more. But then Nathan's hand reached up at Warren's face and he kissed him for a few seconds and he stopped wondering. With his face still close to his, he rubbed his index finger over Warren's bottom lip.

The finger pushed up and slightly raised his top lip, and then let it fall. It dragged downward and pulled the bottom lip, and then let it go. It went forward pushing through each lip and Warren had to open his mouth to let it through. Nathan's other hand raised his chin so his mouth would shut. Warren got the idea and started to suck on his finger. It was oddly arousing to him. Nathan's middle finger came sliding in next and a few moments after that Warren was sucking on three fingers, trying his hardest not to touch his cock. Nathan would slide his fingers in and out of his mouth and Warren would lick and suck with desperation.

After a few minutes, Nathan told Warren to open his mouth, and he obeyed. "You like my fingers in your mouth?" he asked.

"Maybe."

Nathan grabbed Warren's chin, squeezing gently, and peered at him.

"I do," Warren admitted. At this point he was terrified because he didn't want to cum too early again. Nathan was doing too much to him and he hadn't even done much.

Nathan smiled and lowered his hands. Warren moaned when he felt Nathan's wet hand grab his cock. "I'm gonna need you to be quiet," he said and Warren nodded, squeezing Nathan's thighs. Nathan's hand stroked upward and downward slowly. They watched each other's faces for a while until Nathan lowered his head and Warren felt saliva drip onto his cock. Nathan raised his head again, licking his lips, and began slowly twisting his hand as he picked up his pace. Warren held back a moan as his hands slid upward on Nathan's thighs. He leaned in to kiss him but it didn't last long because Nathan had put his other hand on his shoulder and was pushing him back against the headboard. His pace picked up and Nathan was breathing fast.

"Nathan," Warren sighed.

Nathan's left hand slid toward the base of Warren's neck. "Tell me," he said.

"I'm gonna cum."

"Good. I want you to." Nathan's left hand rose and his right hand went faster. Warren pressed his lips together tightly and this time Nathan's hand squeezed around his throat. "Cum for me," he said and he did only a few strokes later.

Warren watched Nathan lick his lips as he exploded with pleasure. Feeling the tingling warmth all over his body. Moaning through his pressed lips and then finally inhaling sharply. Then exhaling sharply through clenched teeth. Never before did he have an orgasm so intense. He was left panting as Nathan pulled out napkins from his nightstand. He handed them to Warren and Warren began to wipe his mess off his chest and stomach. He saw that there was even some mess on Nathan's shirt.

"So you do like to be choked," said Nathan removing his shirt. Seeing Nathan’s bare chest so closely was different than seeing him shirtless at swim practice. His body was smooth except for a happy trail that disappeared into his pants.

“I guess so,” said Warren.

“Do you feel okay?”

“I do,” Warren grinned. “I feel great. I’m sure that that was the best orgasm I’ve ever had.”

Nathan grinned. “Of course it was.”

Nathan looked tired. His eyes were bloodshot and eyelids heavy. It was probably because he was still high or very tired, or both. Warren hesitantly moved his hands to hold his hips. “C-can I touch you? Are you too high for that?”

Nathan laughed. “I’m alert, Warren. I wouldn’t mind it if you touched me, but you don’t have to do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing.”

Warren wanted to touch him more than anything at that moment. “I want to touch you.”

“Where?” Nathan smiled.

Warren felt his face warm up. “E-everywhere.”

“How?”

He swallowed hard. “U-um, I could give you a hand job, too.”

“What if I don’t want a hand job?”

Warren hadn’t thought about oral nor penetrative sex until that moment. It scared him a little because of the porn that he watched. With oral sex, he didn’t want to gag or choke and of course, he didn’t want to be terrible at it. With penetrative sex, he was terrified of the pain it would cause him. “I can’t do anything else. I’m not ready,” he said.

Nathan smiled and sat on the other side of the bed. “It’s okay,” he said removing his pants. Nathan’s very pink penis flopped out and Warren felt only a little uncomfortable. It wasn’t everyday that he had someone else’s erect penis near him, or ever. But Nathan was completely nude now, vulnerable, like he had been. He smiled at Warren and motioned for him to get closer. He did, pulling his waistbands back up for comfort. They kissed for a while and with hesitant hands, Warren rubbed over Nathan’s fuzzy thighs. It was exciting for him to be so near Nathan’s cock. He rubbed upwards feeling his flat stomach first and then his chest. Breasts were very, very lovely but so were flat chests. Bare skin was incredible, period. With Nathan’s tongue teasing his own, Warren was ready to know what touching someone else’s dick was like. But he knew the discomfort of dryness.

He pulled away from Nathan. “Do you have anything I can use?” he asked.

Nathan raised an eyebrow and Warren wondered how he never had a crush on him before.

“I mean, I don’t want to spit in my hand,” he said.

“There’s lube in my drawer,” he said motioning to the left.

Warren crawled a bit and rummaged through Nathan’s drawer. Once he got the small bottle out he was tackled on to the bed. Warren panicked and tried to fight back but Nathan had somehow successfully pulled his arm behind his back and had him pinned down to the bed. Nathan took the bottle out of Warren’s hand and tossed it onto his pillow. He began nipping at different parts of Warren’s neck and back. Although he did enjoy the sensation he still fought to get up. “Nathan,” he groaned. “Get off of me.”

“Come on, fight me, Warren,” he said, softly, near his ear. He remembered when Nathan said that he enjoyed a fight for dominance when he was with other guys. So Warren was going to give Nathan what he wanted.

He fought harder to get Nathan off of him and felt his grip purposely loosen. They wrestled around on the bed, Nathan grinning and Warren laughing a few times. Finally, Warren was on top of Nathan, he didn’t think it was because he won or anything, but because Nathan was taking it easy on him. He held Nathan down by pinning his shoulders against the bed. Nathan struggled trying to reach the lubricant.

“No,” said Warren. “We don’t need it.” He let go of Nathan and crawled backward until his face met Nathan’s crotch.

“You don’t have to.”

“I know,” said Warren slowly grabbing the base of Nathan’s cock. “I want to.”

Warren realized the appeal of play fighting with Nathan before sex and it turned him on. It made him want to be even closer to him. It made him want to suck his dick. But there, right in front of it, he was confused on what to do again. All he knew was what he could imagine a blow job to be like and what he might want done to him. It was a good start. He licked from where the side of his hand was to the tip of Nathan’s cock. He lost moisture on his tongue when it reached the top, so the second time he made sure to coat his tongue with saliva. He continued this pattern a couple more times all around where he could. Then he started to give the tip of his dick short licks, earning him a gratifying sigh from Nathan. It encouraged Warren engulf just the tip and try flicking his tongue over it. Another rewarding sigh escaped Nathan’s lips. Warren began sucking and licking and trying to avoid his teeth from touching his dick at all. Nathan seemed to have been enjoying himself.

But he leaned up on his elbows. “Warren,” he said.

Warren lifted his head off of him, mouth making a pop sound.

“Take as much in as you can, get it real wet, and jerk it off a bit. Can you do that for me?”

Warren nodded. He followed Nathan’s request to the T. Warren wasn’t able to take in as much as he hoped, even though Nathan wasn’t huge, so he was glad that Nathan wanted to be jerked off. But with the sounds and faces that Nathan was making from the hand job, Warren was yearning to have his mouth on him again. Seeing someone so obviously aroused and entranced because of him, did something to him. While stroking Nathan’s cock at a quicker pace, he wrapped his lips around the head again and started flicking his tongue again. Nathan grinned and let out a quiet moan. As Warren continued this, Nathan’s hand became entangled in his hair, slowly petting it or gently tugging it as his breathing became louder. He loved the encouragement, but due to his lack of experience, Warren’s jaw and tongue were getting tired. He lifted his head up, but kept his hand at work.

Nathan looked down at him and smiled. “Come up here.”

Warren slowly crawled upward and didn’t let go of Nathan’s cock until Nathan lifted his hand from it. He wrapped his own hand around it and brought Warren’s face down to kiss him. Warren tried not to think about how he wasn’t touching Nathan anymore and kissed him with a passion. After a while, Nathan started to moan into Warren. He felt his hand grab his wrist and place it so that his hand was at the base of his neck. Warren got the point, but again, was confused about what to do. He knew that there was a way to do it so that no one would pass out, but he didn’t know what way that was. So as he kissed him, he squeezed around his neck gently. Parting from Warren, Nathan exhaled harshly and squeezed his wrist. Warren squeezed tighter and Nathan’s lips parted further and further apart until his body tensed.

Warren whipped his head around to watch Nathan’s hand stroking over a slight mess and his hips jumping ever so slightly. He gasped for air behind his head and Warren let go of his neck. Nathan’s eyes were closed and he was licking his lips. Warren placed small kisses on his neck until finally Nathan let out a final sigh and let his hand drop to his side.

Warren got up to get the tissue box that they had used earlier. He grabbed a few and handed them to Nathan. He wiped himself off and Warren thought again about how interesting it was to see him do little things like this. His mind wandered and he started to think about what it looked like when Nathan showered. But then Nathan snapped his fingers at him. “Turn off my computer and come back into bed.”

Warren nodded and did as he was told. “Was I bad?” asked Warren he asked, wrapping himself in Nathan’s dark comforter.

Nathan smiled at him. “No. You were good for your first time.”

“Is that something you’re just saying?”

“Nah, Blackwell’s Beta Phag ain’t so bad.”

Warren frowned at him.

Nathan laughed and turned off his projector with its remote. “I’m kidding. Look, don’t sweat it. I had a good time. You just need some practice, and Professor Prescott will always be here when you want to practice.”

Warren laughed. At least he wasn’t mean about him not being great, and practice did make perfect. Nathan told him to turn around and when he did, Nathan, still naked, scooted himself closer and spooned him. He smiled at the feeling. He realized that Nathan’s pillows smelled like him and it all felt perfect to him.

“Oh, hey,” whispered Nathan. “You mind if I turn on some music? It helps me sleep.”

“No, that’s fine.”

He pinched Warren’s butt and he jumped. “I was gonna do it anyway.” He turned for a bit and then came back to spoon him. Nathan's arm draped over his side and Warren was too scared to hold his hand.

The sounds coming from the speaker's of on Nathan's wall scared Warren at first. It made him feel like he was in a box. But then he realized it was the sound of being underwater and he started hearing deep squeaking noises. “What is this?” he asked.

“Whale songs.”

The sounds were relaxing but also slightly eerie. It seemed to fit that something eerie would relax Nathan and help him fall asleep. He still wondered, though, why it was this that helped him, but he fell asleep before he could think about it for long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have up to chapter 7 already written. I think this will go on for about 12 chapters. We'll see!


	6. Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathan is upset again and Warren wants to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to give a few more details into this AU.

Warren woke up to the smell of bacon and sausages, just like his mother makes. He stretched in bed, eyes still closed. It took him a couple minutes to remember that he wasn't back home but still at Blackwell Academy. When his eyes opened, he remembered that he was in Nathan's room. He smiled as he looked around the room, Nathan was typing away on his computer and there was a Styrofoam box with plastic utensils on top on the nightstand beside him.

Warren, excited about breakfast in bed, sat up and opened the box in his lap. It was eggs, sausage and bacon. Judging by the box, it was from the Two Whales Diner. "Morning," he said, looking at the back of Nathan’s head.

Nathan barely glanced at him. "Morning."

He started eating. "Thanks for this. You went all the way to Two Whales instead of the cafeteria?"

"Yeah," he replied, without turning around.

“Thanks, you didn’t have to.”

“Welcome.”

"Did you have any?"

"Yeah."

Warren didn't like short answers. It made him feel like people didn't want to talk to him. He didn't want Nathan to think he was annoying, but he didn't want to not talk to him. "What are you doing?"

"Homework."

Warren accepted defeat and continued to eat. There was negative tension again, and again, Warren had no idea why. He thought things went well before they went to bed. He had a good time and Nathan looked like he had a good time. Once he was finished with his breakfast, forgetting that there were tissues inside Nathan's drawer, he asked for napkins.

"There're tissues in the drawer. You spill anything on my bed? If you did, you're doing all my laundry."

Three sentences. It was an improvement. Maybe this was how Nathan was in the mornings? Or maybe he was having a mood swing? Warren got a tissue and wiped his mouth and placed the Styrofoam box on the nightstand. He grabbed his shirt from the floor and slipped it on. “I’m going to go have a shower. I’ll come back though,” he said to the back of Nathan’s head.

Nathan’s shoulders shrugged.

Energy drained from Warren. He wanted to say something but he couldn’t find the words. But he would come back. He grabbed the Styrofoam box and carefully opened the door. He didn’t want to be seen exiting Nathan’s dorm in the morning. He looked to his right and saw no one, and then looked to his left and there was Luke, walking in through the double doors. Neither of them said anything. But Luke’s eyes lingered on him for a bit as he kept walking forward and then turned. Warren shut the door behind him and threw the box in the trashcan in the hall. Would Luke tell anyone?

Warren returned to Nathan after about an hour of getting cleaned up and dressed. Nathan was still in the same place, hunched over, typing away. Warren sat on the end of the bed, nearest to him. “Um,” he started. “Luke saw me come out of your room. Is that bad?”

“He won’t tell anyone.”

“How do you know?”

“’Cause I’ll fuck him up if he does.”

Warren raised his eyebrows. Nathan still wouldn’t look at him, he just kept typing. He didn‘t want to lean in to see what homework he was working on either, if it was homework at all, because he was scared of Nathan hitting him for it or something. Why did Nathan even get him breakfast if he was going to pretend that Warren was a nuisance? Warren knew that he wasn‘t a nuisance. They had a nice time! After a few minutes of hearing fingers tapping keys, Warren decided to bring it up. “Did I do something wrong?”

Nathan finally stopped typing and stared at his computer screen for a moment. “No.” He tried to continue with his typing, but Warren could tell he was distracted now.

“So why aren’t you talking to me?”

“I am.”

“You’re mad. Are you mad at me? I thought we were okay. I thought everything was okay. You said it was okay.”

Nathan turned in his chair. He didn’t look at Warren because the floor seemed more interesting. “It’s not you. I just,” he sighed. “I had a therapist appointment with my dad today. While I was out getting breakfast, my father called me. He said he cancelled today’s appointment and that he couldn’t see me for lunch today.”

There was a wave of relief that washed over Warren. It wasn’t his fault. He did feel bad for Nathan, but he was just incredibly glad that he wasn’t at fault. “Well, maybe next time,” he said.

Nathan sneered and smiled and shook his head. “No. You don’t get it.”

Warren reached over to touch his arm but Nathan pulled away.

“This is the first step into, ‘Who Gives a Shit About Nathan?’”

“Don’t take it like that. You have other appointments scheduled and you guys will probably have lunch tomorrow or some-”

“Shut up,“ he snapped, peering at Warren. “You don’t know anything.”

“I-… I wanna know.” Warren slowly tried to reach over to Nathan again but he shot up.

“Stop, okay? Why the fuck are you even here?”

“You asked me to come over last night.” Warren couldn’t give him eye contact anymore. There he was, good old Nathan Prescott, hurting feelings wherever he went. He knew that Nathan didn’t really mean to be an asshole, though. He knew that sometimes people with mental illnesses had episodes where they got very angry at everything. But Warren was good at helping people, and he wanted to help. And he sure as Hell didn’t deserve to be treated badly by Nathan Prescott.

“It’s not last night anymore,” Nathan scolded.

Warren stood up and it almost hurt to look into those deep blue eyes. “Don’t take your frustrations out on me.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are, Warren? You think just because I let you-”

Warren grabbed Nathan’s upper arms and pulled him close before he said anything else that would hurt him.

“The fuck? Get off me!” Nathan’s voice squeaked as he squirmed and tried to pull away.

Warren pulled him closer until he was able to hug the squirming mess of a boy.

Nathan sobbed. “Stop.”

Warren hugged tighter and maybe a minute passed before Nathan was crying into his neck. “Nathan, don’t push people away. Don’t push _me_ away.”

Nathan’s arms wrapped around Warren’s waist and he continued to soak his shirt.

“Don’t hurt me just because you’re hurting. Tell me why you’re hurting and I’ll do whatever I can to make it better. We’re…” Warren didn’t want to say what he wasn’t feeling, but he had to. “… friends.”

“I’m… sorry,” he sobbed. He leaned his forehead on Warren’s shoulder and looked downward between them. “I just don’t want to go back.”

“Go back to what?”

“To how I was before. I just want to be happy.”

“You’re just scared. I understand your feelings but I think you’re overreacting about your dad.”

“I-If my father doesn’t want to see me… _I_ don’t want to see me,” he whispered, and it broke Warren’s heart.

“Nathan, he does want to see you. He just can’t today. He will see you again. I promise.” Warren hoped he was right.

“It’s all his fault. Even my fucking therapist says that I was easily manipulated because of him.”

“You don’t have to blame your father for what happened.”

Nathan pulled away roughly. “What am I supposed to do, blame myself? Right, because it’s all my fault that I was fucking born in pieces!” Nathan kicked his bed, tears slipping down his face. “Nobody fucking understands what it’s like! Feel anxious? Just don’t think about it!” He began to mock. “Feel depressed? Just be positive! So… fucking… easy,” he grumbled, kicking his bed again between his words. “It’s my fault that Jefferson manipulated me. My fault that Rachel died, because I was so fucking awake when it happened. Everyone thinks they fucking know!” He grabbed the back of his computer chair and slammed it down.

Warren started to get worried and he tried to grab Nathan’s hands but he backed away from him.

“I wasn’t fucking awake, Warren! But he told me,” he started to cry harder. “He told me it was my fault and I believed him.” His hands became fists but he only held them to his face and backed up until he reached his wall. “My father thinks I’m a freak. That’s why he won’t see me. He hates me,” his voice cracked. He slid down against the wall and hugged his knees. “Everybody hates me.” He cried quieter, into his knees.

Warren stepped over the computer chair and lifted it back up. He sat next to Nathan on the floor and put is arm around him. “I don’t hate you, Nathan.”

“Why are you even here?” he said into his knees. “You’re just pretending to care because you want something from me. What the fuck do you want?”

Warren tried to pull Nathan closer but he pulled away. “Nathan,” he sighed. He forcefully pulled his knees away making Nathan look at him. He hugged Nathan close and again, he tried to resist him. But Warren felt his hands wrap around his waist anyway and his body leaned into him. He began rubbing Nathan’s head as he sobbed into his shoulder. “Nathan,” he started. “I only want you.”

Warren wasn’t completely sure, but he thought that what he said made Nathan cry harder. Warren stayed there holding him, rubbing his back and petting the back of his head. His hair was soft but a touch greasy from product. Warren could only smell the product on Nathan’s head from this angle, but it was enough for him.

“I’m so sorry, Nathan.”

He heard him sniffle on his shoulder. His head turned on it’s side so that his temple was leaning on his shoulder now. “What do you know?” he asked.

“What?”

“What do you know about me and Jefferson? What’ve people said?”

“Why do you want to know the rumors?”

“Just tell me.”

Warren sighed. “Okay. That he told you to drug girls for photo shoots. He used your money to build this high tech studio. He… made you kill Rachel.”

“So people _do_ think that I killed her.”

“I mean, I dunno. It’s what I heard and what I’ve assumed, I guess. I don’t really know.”

Nathan lifted himself from Warren and wiped his face. He leaned back against the wall and stared at the floor. “I wasn’t happy to come to Blackwell at first. But when I saw Jefferson’s work, I was impressed and… I was honored to have him as a teacher. Rachel was in my class with him. I liked her a whole lot, everybody did. She knew all the answers, she was a great model, she was beautiful, she had style, eloquence… she was the complete package. Everyone’s dream girl. Jefferson… he would sort of openly compliment her during class and one time, one time he even complimented my work. It caught me by surprise,” he sniffled. “I didn’t think I was very good. I still don't, not really. I just shoot what I think is cool, honestly. He wanted to see me after class that same day and all the days after that. He spoke to me about his experiences with models and how he could never quite capture the type of work that I was capturing. He would tell me that if he and I could sort of… team up, we could make remarkable art. No one ever complimented my work the way he did. No… no _adult_ was as nice to me as he was. I admired him and I wanted to impress him, so I told him that I could find a way to get my father to build a studio for us.”

“So he did use your money?”

Nathan nodded. “I thought we were going to be great together. But then he started talking to me about getting subjects, proper models. Not ones that would act but ones that would literally ‘lay there,’ he said. Ones that would ‘lay there and let it happen.’ I didn’t know that I should have taken that seriously. He wanted me to drug girls and bring them to the Dark Room. I thought it was a little fucked up but, he asked me to do it, so I did it. I hated it though. It looked all wrong. The noises he would make when photographing them, I’m pretty sure he got off on it. He never let me take any pictures either. The first time, with the first girl, I asked him if I could and he fucking… he went off. He yelled at me so much, he said that I would ruin everything and that I was too stupid to understand his subjects and the project. But then after we would drop the girl off where she belonged, he’d tell me how great of a job I did and how I was going somewhere. Then,” he sighed. “Then he wanted _me_ as a subject with the girls. I thought it was stupid because I thought I’d be a shitty model. But while I was talking about how shitty I’d be, he fucking put a needle in my neck.”

“God, Nathan. He would drug you, too?”

His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes glazed. “He’d sneak around a lot and do it without telling me because it was more authentic that way. I would get so fucking paranoid but I rarely ever caught him before he could do it. The first couple of times that I woke up after being used, I would fucking charge at him and he’d fucking hit me and kick me, with everything he had over the head or on my back or chest, or wherever a bruise wouldn’t show. Then after maybe like the third time, he pulled a gun on me and said that he’d fucking shoot me and no one would ever know it was him,” his voice cracked, but he fought back tears. “And I was scared of him. I was scared and kind of… I thought it was normal. I thought that this was what I deserved for not listening to him. So I let him do it and I wouldn’t say a word about it when I woke up. And I never saw the photos he took of me. I didn’t want to. But he always said that I did great… and I was like… addicted to his approval. Until he wanted Rachel.”

Nathan was quiet for a few moments, seemingly thinking about the past. He looked to be exhausted from just remembering. Finally, he rubbed his temples and held his head in his hands.

“He asked me what I thought about her, one time, after class, and I told him. She was perfect, but she wasn’t interested in me. I had tried to hook up with her a few times, but she just liked older men. Jefferson told me that he wanted her as our next subject and I told him no fucking way. I liked her. I wanted to do more than hook up with her, I wanted to treat her right. I wanted to court her and take her places and buy her gifts. But then he told me that he fucked her, more than once. And I got so fucking angry. At that moment, I thought that she deserved to be another one of Jefferson’s subjects. So I agreed. But I wasn’t even the one to drug her. He drove her near the Dark Room and apparently distracted her enough to get a needle in her neck. I sat there and let him do what he always did. He asked for my help this time though. He told me to stick her neck. She was awake when I did and begging me not to. I was practically crying, myself. I held her head against the wall and her eyes looked behind me and she screamed my name and then I was fucking out. He got his shots with us both and then... when I woke up and she didn’t, he told me that I was the one that gave her an overdose. He buried her and... that was that. Even after I thought I killed someone, I went after Kate for him.” Nathan lifted his head back up. “I was fucking deteriorating after her.” Nathan went quiet again.

Warren almost wished that he didn’t hear the story. It was an interesting one but he wished that it wouldn’t have happened to Nathan. He wrapped his arm around his shoulders and he didn’t resist this time. He liked dark movies, but they were just movies. This was real life and he wanted to erase it all for Nathan.

“Y’know,” Nathan started again. “I tried to impress him by taking Chloe back here. I slipped her something and I took some pictures. She got away, obviously, and tried to blackmail me. I even pulled a gun on her in the girl’s bathroom because of that but then the fire alarm rang. And that was, um,” he smiled a little. “When you and I first fought. I saw Max’s photo on the floor and I thought she was going to snitch. Afterward, I did show Jefferson the photos of Chloe and I told him what happened, in the bathroom and all, and he yelled at me and yelled at me and yelled at me. And that was it. I was fucking tired of him, so I snitched.”

Warren rubbed his shoulder. “I appreciate you telling me all this. I’m glad you trust me. I’m so sorry all this happened.”

Nathan didn’t respond. It was quiet between them for a while. All that could be heard was Warren’s hand rubbing over the fabric of Nathan’s shirt. Warren had to break the silence, though.

“I still think you’re cool.”

Nathan snorted and then chuckled. “Thanks.”

Warren leaned his head on his shoulder and continued to rub his other shoulder. Nathan slowly and hesitantly leaned his head on Warren's. They stood that way for a while.

After that morning, the two grew closer. They hung out more and spoke to one another about their lives. Warren learned that Nathan was born in Florida. He unsurprisingly learned that Nathan’s favorite colors were red and black. He had a sister named Kristine who he missed a lot. His zodiac sign was Virgo but he rarely related to horoscopes. He was very into punk rock girls. He had a big appreciation for old, black and white film and photography. And the only way he could sleep properly was if he heard his whale songs. Warren wasn’t sure if Nathan remembered anything that he told him. Warren talked a lot, or at least he thought so. But Warren loved to talk to Nathan. He always listened and responded. Even if he was responding rudely or vulgarly, it meant he was listening. He liked Nathan more and more everyday, and by their closeness, he hoped Nathan was feeling the same way.


	7. Risk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warren and Nathan are close now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so grateful for all of your lovely words and kudos, thank you!

Weeks had passed and Nathan and Warren were noticeably spending time together. Warren knew that people noticed because of the weird looks Logan and Zach would give him, and the lingering ones that Luke would give him. Max had even brought it up once but Warren lied to her and told her that they had become friends through chemistry class. In that class, they would write notes to each other on the sides of their papers and would be shushed every now and then by Mrs. Grant. It was probably unusual because they had never behaved that way before. But it didn’t stop Nathan from doodling crude drawings on Warren’s papers or whispering a dirty joke.

Nathan didn’t seem to notice that people knew they were hanging out, or he never brought it up. He actually seemed to like sneaking around in public. During swim practice, or even in the halls, Nathan would pinch or grab at Warren's butt any time no one was looking. Warren's favorite part of that was that Nathan wouldn't even look at him when he did it, or he would walk away, pretending that he didn't even do it. It was only his butt, but it was a fun dirty little secret.

The bigger and better dirty secrets were after classes, though. Sometimes Nathan would catch up with Warren while he was exiting the school or he would leave Warren a note on where to meet him. Sometimes it was under the bleachers in the football field, when there wasn't too much snow. They would make out until they had to shove their hands into each other's pants. It was under those bleachers that Nathan gave Warren his first blow job. He told Warren that he wanted to make him feel something different. So he squatted on the floor, careful not to get his pants wet in the grass, and let Warren cum in his mouth. Afterward, Nathan had kissed Warren so that he could taste himself, and Warren didn't mind.

Sometimes, if Nathan wanted, they would go to each other's cars. It was in Nathan's car that Warren gave him what he thought to be a proper blow job. He was able to remember what Nathan had done to him and mimic it. He also had realized, this time, that Nathan was a dirty talker. But it didn't really surprise him, it only excited him. They were almost caught by David Madsen that time. Nathan removed his jacket and put it over his lap, covering Warren’s head. He was frozen there, with his mouth full, hearing David ask Nathan why he was just sitting in his car. Nathan had rudely responded by telling him it was none of his business and David told him that he was keeping an eye on him. Then a few minutes after that, when Nathan removed the jacket, and told Warren to keep going, he kept going.

Sometimes after swim practice, they would meet on the side of the pool building. Warren was always scared but Nathan would remind him that no one was outside after class because of the weather. Except for the one time that Nathan wanted him to fuck his mouth while the jocks were having a snowball fight. This was the same time that Nathan wanted his hair pulled and jerked himself off before Warren was able to finish. Warren had finished soon after, though, because watching Nathan masturbate below him was too much to handle. They ended up having to take a long way around to the dorms so no one would see them come out of a corner together.

Warren had asked Nathan, on different occasions, why they didn't just have sex in each other's dorms, and Nathan had told him that the risk of getting caught was sexy to him. Warren would wonder often if he had public sex with other people as well, but he tried not to dwell on it. They weren’t only having sex outdoors, though, they still made use of their dorm rooms. Sometimes it was after watching a movie together, or doing homework together, or even again after an outdoor sexcapade. There was one important time, as well, where Nathan didn't want just hand jobs or blow jobs anymore.

It was late January, Warren went to his dorm room early during swim practice because he slipped into the pool, scraping his back against the edge. The entire class erupted in laughter but he was glad that Nathan wasn't there to see. He had been at a therapist appointment with his father, which Warren was also glad about. The coach had told him to go to the nurse, who told him that he would just be sore for a few days and have a bruise. In his dorm, on his bed, he was on his stomach, shirtless, texting Nathan.

"You should come visit me. I am ill."

"What do u mean?"

"I fell and hurt my back. It was kind of embarrassing."

"Stupid."

"Will you come?"

"Give me 1 hour."

“(‐＾▽＾‐)”

It was the first time he sent Nathan an emoticon. He regretted it immediately because it was probably super nerdy. But Warren was excited to see him. He always was. Then Nathan sent him one back.

“┌∩┐(◣_◢)┌∩┐”

And it made him smile until his cheeks hurt. He played games on his phone for exactly one hour. Nathan didn't show up. So Warren impulsively sent him a text asking him where he was.

"Calm the fuck down looser." 

Warren wondered why he didn’t correct his phone’s autocorrections. He rolled his eyes but about fifteen minutes later his door opened. As he turned to look at his door, he saw Nathan's smiling face.

"Yes," he said, index fingers and thumb making a rectangle, as if framing him for a photo. "Stay just like that."

Before Warren could do anything Nathan had jumped onto the bed, landing on his legs and biting at Warren's shoulder. "Ow! Watch it, I'm still sore."

Nathan's hands cupped Warren's butt cheeks. "Oh, I'll make you sore."

Warren had started to watch gay porn after his first few times with Nathan, and joke mentions of them going all the way always turned him on a little. He knew that a lot of pornography was staged but he thought that the actors still seemed to be enjoying themselves, and he was all for enjoying himself. But he was still unsure about the pain and discomfort that it might cause him. He wanted to discuss it when he was ready, and then do it.

Warren wriggled his legs to try to get Nathan to get off of them. "Get off me."

"Oh, I like when you move your ass like that." He squeezed his cheeks. "Nice."

Warren laughed and wriggled some more. "Come on, man."

Nathan scooted forward so that he was almost sitting on Warren's butt. "No, tell Doctor Prescott where it hurts and I'll make it all better."

Warren smiled into his pillow. Nathan‘s cardigan was still in it. His smell was no longer attached to it, but Warren still liked to keep it there. "It's just my back, Doctor," he said in a mocking tone.

Nathan squeezed Warren's butt again. "Here?"

"That's not my back."

"Oh, sorry. I don't have my glasses."

Warren laughed. "What? You need your medical license confiscated."

Nathan's hands rubbed forward to his shoulders and Warren winced. "I will be your masseur instead." His hands rubbed upwards and downwards and it only hurt Warren a little. He forgot about the pain completely when Nathan's hands were replaced with his lips. Soft kisses covered his back and it sent tingles all over his body. He began feeling bites and licks which made him turn his head as much as he could, and watch as much as he could. Nathan looked beautiful watching him watch him.

Once his neck got tired and he turned back around, he started feeling Nathan's hips grind against his backside. It aroused him immediately, mostly because his lower half would rub against his own bed, but also because he could feel Nathan‘s erection against his butt. He felt barely there nails graze his back, while he focused on Nathan‘s grinding. 

"Can you turn around?" Nathan asked him.

"Why?"

"'Cause I wanna kiss you."

Warren smiled and with difficulty turned to lay on his back. Nathan leaned down and started kissing him, and the grinding of his hips continued. This was even better. Warren held his hips and even pushed up against them when he could. Because of Nathan, Warren's stamina and tolerance had improved. So he was able to keep himself going for a while. This had made him more aggressive, which he knew Nathan appreciated.

It wasn’t long before Nathan had developed his usual hungry sexual energy. He shoved his hand underneath Warren’s head and grabbed hair. He breathed into Warren’s mouth as he continued to grind his hips against him. He leaned into Warren’s neck and he felt his hot breath and then soft wetness trace from the bottom of his neck to his jaw. Warren sighed and then gasped when he felt a bite on his neck. His hair was pulled and Nathan watched him before he pressed their lips together hard.

When he lifted his head up, Nathan let out a loud sigh. “I wanna fuck you.” He bit Warren’s neck again. “I wanna be inside you so _fucking_ bad.”

Warren swallowed and winced at the pulling of his hair. He wasn’t sure if Nathan was waiting for a response or something. Although he really appreciated hearing what he said, Warren didn’t know what to do. Nathan freed his hair and sat up still.

“Would you want that?” he asked, out of breath.

Warren held himself up by his elbows. “I can’t.”

Nathan sighed, clearly upset. “Okay, that’s fine.”

“I want to, I’m just not ready yet.”

Nathan‘s eyebrows furrowed. “It’s so good, Warren, I promise.” He came back down and started kissing his neck again. “I’ll be careful, you’ll love it.”

Warren moved his head slightly. “Nathan…”

Nathan sighed again and sat back up. “Okay. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I should be sorry.”

“No, don’t be,” he said, shaking his head slightly and still out of breath.

Nathan lowered himself back down onto Warren and kissed him. They helped each other undress and Warren was left sitting up in bed, still in a little bit of pain. Nathan didn’t let his injury ruin anything, however, because he stood up on the bed and let Warren take him in his mouth while sitting. Warren always hoped that he wasn’t as bad as his first time. But with all the practice that Nathan was giving him, he didn’t have to worry.

When both boys were finished, they laid beside each other, facing one another. Warren kept talking about how he wanted Nathan to watch Doctor Who and The X-Files with him. But there was a look in his face that made him feel like he needed to shut up. So he did. “Sorry for talking so much,” he said, finally.

Nathan’s eyebrows slightly furrowed. “No,” he said. “It’s alright.”

He stared at Warren for a while and looked to be deep in thought. He eventually reached his hand out and touched Warren’s shoulder. He rubbed his hand higher and moved some of Warren’s hair behind his ear. His hand traveled down to touch Warren’s jaw and Warren began to speak.

“Are you okay?” he asked, softly.

“Yeah,” he said, leaving his hand half on Warren’s jaw and half on his neck.

“Do you want to talk about anything?”

Nathan only stared into his eyes and Warren smiled awkwardly, which caused Nathan to slightly smile back. “It’s just sometimes… sometimes I can’t believe that you’re real. Sometimes I worry that you’re not really here.”

Warren’s eyebrows furrowed, slightly. He was aware that because of Nathan’s mental illnesses, hallucinations could be one of the side effects that he could experience. “Have you ever hallucinated?” he asked him.

Nathan shook his head. “No. But I get scared that I will. All the time, I get scared that I’m worse than I really am.”

Warren put his hand over Nathan’s. “I’m real, Nathan. I am so real, I promise.”

Nathan smiled and there was something in his face that was brand new. Something Warren never saw in anyone’s face when they looked at him. Yet he could not describe it and he was not sure how to ask him about it either. But it was this moment that was most important. It was this moment, with his hand over Nathan’s and their eyes meeting, that Warren was able to tell anybody exactly what love felt like.


	8. Destructible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warren is in love with an enigma.

When one realizes that they are in love for the first time, it’s a little bit confusing. But it soon starts to feel relieving. Falling in love, sometimes, is a beautiful accomplishment that no one works for. And for a while, when it happens, one feels indestructible, especially when the person that they are in love with loves them right back. But did Nathan love Warren as well? What they were doing had not been labeled. What they were doing was secret. So Warren did not feel indestructible. In fact, he felt more destructible than ever, because if Nathan didn’t feel the same, he would have to rewire himself into somehow falling out of love. Or worse, if Nathan began sleeping with someone else or even dating someone, Warren would surely break into pieces. Warren, however, had no idea what was ever going on inside Nathan’s head.

There were times that Warren would think that Nathan did care about him. Sometimes he would buy him gifts, like the time he bought him a portable hard drive to keep all his illegally downloaded movies on. The two boys blushed like crazy when Nathan said, "I got you something," and pulled it out of a shopping bag. He had said that he didn't want Warren to worry about having to delete a movie or show that he liked because he wanted to download more. Warren had complained about it only once and he thought that it was boring Nathan, but knowing that he listened and went out of his way to help, made him want to cover him in kisses. Which he did. 

There was another time that he anonymously sent a huge package addressed to Warren to the front desk of the dormitories. Warren was very confused and needed Hayden, who had entered the dorms as Warren was contemplating tying a rope around the box to pull it up the steps, to help him carry it to his dorm. Warren had spent half an hour wondering whether he should open the box or not. His complete lack of knowledge about its arrival threw him off. But his wondering was interrupted when there was banging on his door. He jumped and reflexively rushed to the door and opened it.

"Yo!" It was Nathan, leaning on the door frame. "Fuckin' nerd, got my package?" He placed a hand over his top lip and whispered, "and I don't mean my dick."

Warren rolled his eyes. "This was you?"

Nathan pushed his way through and Warren shut the door behind him. He sat himself on Warren's bed and half smiled at the box. "You haven't opened it?"

"No, I was really confused about it. I didn't want to get in trouble for opening someone else's mail that was probably mislabeled."

"That would not have not gotten you into any trouble if your name was on it." Nathan groaned. "Just open it."

"Why'd you get me something again? I can't get you anything…"

Nathan smiled sweetly. "I don't expect you to. I... I liked how it made me feel when I saw you so happy the last time I got you a present." He shrugged.

Warren smiled and then looked at the box. "Hayden helped me bring it up. It's big."

"Like my dick."

Warren rolled his eyes. "You wish." He walked over to his desk, grabbed a pair of scissors, and came back to the box. He felt Nathan eyeing him as he opened the box and it made his feel a little uncomfortable. It always made Warren a little uncomfortable when he opened presents from people while they watched. When he opened the box there was styrofoam protecting what was underneath. He gently lifted it and his eyes widened. He sat on the floor in front of the box and used the scissors to open the sides of the box so that he could just slide what was inside out.

Nathan chuckled. "You like it?"

"Nathan... why?" He looked back at him.

Nathan looked a little nervous now. "You don't have one, so I thought you might want one."

Warren pulled off the rest of the styrofoam, revealing his brand new flat screen tv. He was grateful that he had a spare desk to place it. Nathan helped him place it atop the emptier desk and connect it where it needed to be connected.

"You're not super psyched about it, are you?" he asked Warren.

Warren placed his hands on Nathan's shoulders. "Dude, I'm just... taken aback by it. It's a fucking flat screen tv." He shook his shoulders and smiled.

Nathan smiled back.

"Like, with the hard drive, I knew like, well, he's rich so this wouldn't be expensive to him. But this... how much-"

"Who gives a shit how much it cost?" he removed Warren's hands. "As long as you're happy with it."

Warren moved closer to Nathan and wrapped his arms around his neck to hug him and Nathan reciprocated. It was the first time that they hugged, without Nathan having a meltdown beforehand. It was different than sex, but still extremely intimate. That intimacy did, however, end up leading to sex. It was sex, too, however, that would lead Warren to believe that Nathan did care about him. The way that he was careful with him, still forceful, but careful and considerate. But it was sex, too, however, that would lead Warren to believe that Nathan thought of him as nothing more than just a fling.

There were times where Nathan would leave immediately, after the two of them were finished in Warren‘s dorm. Or times where Nathan would kick Warren out of his dorm because Victoria or Hayden, whom he had started getting close to again, were coming over. Sometimes sex wouldn’t be involved, too. Nathan would cancel on Warren on short notice, not defend him when Zach or Logan pushed into him on purpose while they walked together, and sometimes it seemed like he didn’t want to walk with him at all. It all made Warren feel used and unwanted, but the feelings were erased as soon as Nathan would text him or call him or knock on his door. He was in love with Nathan, and he would do anything for him, even suffer a little heartbreak from time to time.

He did not enjoy the heartbreak at all, of course. So he thought about trying to woo Nathan. He wasn't very good at wooing people, though. The drive in was closed due to the weather and he was sure Nathan wouldn't go to a more public movie theater with him. After that, he was fresh out of ideas. He wanted to spend every waking moment with Nathan and somehow figure out if what he was feeling was mutual, without blatantly telling him what he was feeling.

It was February, only a couple days before Valentine's Day, where Warren was confused about Nathan‘s feelings yet again. There were card stock hearts and baby angels and pink and red streamers decorating the halls of Blackwell Academy. There were even hearts on the walls of the boys' dorm. They were quickly defaced, however, with black lines and turned upside down to resemble hairy testicles. Nathan had barged into Warren's bedroom, as he often did because Warren usually forgot to lock it, holding a testicle heart in front of his crotch.

"Warren!" he sang, slamming the door behind him and walking towards him while wiggling his hips.

Warren put his pen in his textbook as a bookmark and shut it. He furrowed his eyebrows at the Nathan but couldn‘t help but to chuckle. "What are you doing?"

"Be my valentine," he thrust his hips forward.

Warren laughed and blushed. "What?"

Nathan slapped the heart against Warren's forehead, and it actually stuck. "I wonder who fucked up all the hearts."

Warren pulled the heart off his forehead and attempted to throw it at Nathan but it only fluttered in a different direction. "You'd think with all the homophobia around here, guys would stop drawing dicks and balls everywhere."

"There have got to be at least a few closeted guys here," he said throwing himself on Warren's bed, behind him.

"You ever been with a guy from here? Besides me?"

"Nah, I told you that. You?"

Warren ignored the image of Luke that appeared in his mind. "No."

"Good."

Warren smirked and turned around to face Nathan. His legs were hanging off the bed and his head leaning on the pillow that his cardigan was still stuffed into. "Why good?" Warren asked him.

Nathan fluffed the pillow underneath his head. "Because."

"Because?"

"Because." He said, firmly.

Warren pressed his lips together tightly, that conversation was over.

"You going this Friday?" Nathan asked him.

"To the Valentine's party?"

"Yeah."

"No, I doubt it."

"You should come."

"What, and go with you?"

"If you want."

"As like... your date?"

"No," he furrowed his eyebrows.

Warren laughed nervously. "I dunno. I don't think I'm gonna go but I'll let you know if I do go." He felt stupid for asking his previous question.

"I've never seen you go to a Vortex Club party. I wanna know how you party," he lifted his head from the pillow and threw it at Warren. The pillow hit and out slipped a sleeve from the pillowcase.

Warren grabbed the pillow and tried not to make the sleeve visible. "I don't really-"

Nathan grabbed the sleeve from the pillow. "What's this?" He pulled on the sleeve until he had the whole cardigan in his hands. He looked at it, puzzled, and sat up. "Is this mine?" he asked, looking at Warren in the eye.

Warren's world crashed. Nathan was going to think that he was a creep. He was going to leave and never speak to him again. He couldn't think of something to save him, as usual. "Um..." 

Nathan looked back down at the cardigan. "It is. I've been looking for this. Why do you have it? Why do you have it in your pillow?"

"I..." Still, nothing was coming to mind. He never thought anyone would find out about the cardigan. His eyes glazed from embarrassment. He blinked quickly and couldn't form eye contact with Nathan when his head raised back up. This was it, this was the end.

"Hey," he said, softly, probably noticing the nervousness in Warren‘s face. "Uh... I just... uh... I don't know what to say, I've just never found my things hidden in someone's room before. It's... different."

"It's weird," Warren said, flatly. "It's fucking weird and you think I'm fucking weird."

Nathan scooted closer to him. "Nah, man. It's not like that." He lifted Warren's head by his chin. "Really. I just wanna know why..."

"Y-you left it here after the last Vortex Club party. It smells a lot like you and I... I like how you smell." Warren saw a smile slowly form on Nathan's lips and a light tint spread across his cheeks. Warren couldn't help but to smile, himself.

Nathan let go of Warren's chin. "Seriously? You like how I smell?"

Warren nodded. "Yeah. I've actually wondered what it was that you wear."

"Like a scent?"

Warren nodded again.

"I don't wear anything. I kind of hate that stuff."

Warren felt a warmth throughout his body. The scent that he admired so much, even before he had been with Nathan, was just his natural scent. "Of course," Warren blurted out and blushed.

Nathan chuckled and started pulling off the sweater from his back. It was red and knitted. "You can have this one." He dropped it onto Warren's lap and picked up his white cardigan. "I really like this one, and I'm sure it doesn't even smell like me anymore."

Warren tried not to smile as he watched Nathan adjust his undershirt. He picked up the sweater and mindlessly folded it. "Yeah, it didn't. So, you don't feel weird about this?"

"Warren," Nathan looked at his folded sweater and sighed. "The whole school thinks I like to drug girls and kill them and you... you like the way I smell." He looked back at Warren.

Warren smiled and placed a hand on Nathan's knee, but was unsure about what to say.

"We're good, man," he reassured Warren. "It's kind of nice to hear that I smell good. I don't get compliments unless it's on my humor or Victoria telling me that I don't look like a total prick."

"No one's ever told you that you’re like... cu-ha-attractive?"

Nathan blushed and his blue eyes darted behind Warren's head and then at his chest and then at his lap. "I mean, sometimes. Rarely."

"Y-you are. Um, you're..."

"You don't have to say it if it's not true. I am not fishing for compliments."

"Oh no. I just… I rarely compliment people on what they look like. It makes me feel like... I dunno... I've always thought that you were attractive, though. You have really great eyes and your hair is like, always perfect. You're kind of... like, dreamy. Y'know, like, if it wasn't for how your attitude was in the beginning of the school year, I think you'd have a ton of girls just falling over for you. I wish I had a look that did that. You totally have it though. I think-"

Nathan placed his hand atop Warren's and raised his eyebrows. "Have you always had the hots for me?"

"No, I've just always thought you were attractive. It was the getting to know you that made me like, sexually attracted to you."

Nathan smiled and hung his head. "I always thought you were pretty cute."

Warren blushed so much that he snatched his hand away from Nathan's leg and covered his cheeks. "Really?"

Nathan looked up at him and chuckled. "Yeah. There's something about you that kind of just... pulls me in." Nathan leaned into him, placing his hands on Warren's thighs. "Tell me what else you like about me."

Warren chuckled and let go of his face. With Nathan's hands where they were, he knew were this was going, and he wanted, as usual, to impress him. He placed a hand on his cheek and kissed Nathan softly. "I like that your lips are so soft." He kissed him again, but this time licking Nathan's bottom lip. "I like how you taste."

Nathan's eyebrow raised and he smirked.

Warren’s hands rubbed under and up Nathan’s shirt. “I like… your soft skin.” He kissed him again. He grabbed at his shirt to lift it up but before he could, Nathan’s cell phone rang. And whenever Nathan’s cell phone rang, he would answer it without excusing himself or apologizing. Warren would sit there awkwardly until he was finished, or until he said that he had to go. Unfortunately, this was one of the times where Nathan had to go.

For the first time, Warren tried to protest. They were in the middle of something and it was rude of him to just leave. But Nathan shrugged it off and promised to come back later that night. Warren waited. He waited until he fell asleep staring at his door, and then startled himself awake to keep staring at the door. When he awoke without hearing from Nathan he tried to send him text messages but he would only respond with short answers. He didn’t even show up to his classes for two days. He wanted to just go and knock on Nathan’s door but he cared too much about what he thought and he didn’t want him to think that he was being clingy. For two days, he hoped that Nathan was in good health. For two days, he was worried sick about being forgotten. For two days, he got short answers and tears before falling asleep.

And then, it was Valentine’s Day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not the sweetest chapter I've written, sorry.
> 
> I also no longer have chapters pre-written. I know what will happen and how this will end, I've just got to write it all up normally now.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> EDIT: I'm writing the 9th chapter and well, I hope you will all be happy to get well over 5k words, this time.


	9. Flinch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warren attends the Valentine's Day Vortex Club party and has an especially memorable night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a little edit in Chapter eight's End Notes section, saying that the ninth chapter was going to be well over 5k words. So here is exactly 8,390 words. 
> 
> I feel like a lot goes on in this Chapter but I really didn't want to split this into two chapters. So prepare yourselves. But I don't think any of you will mind though?
> 
> Well, enjoy!

Warren did not want to go to a Vortex Club party. He especially didn't want to go to a Valentine's Day themed one with a strict dress code. But there he was, sitting on his bed, letting Max and Chloe raid his closet for something for him to wear. It was going to be stupid. He would go and see people romantically involved with each other while he would helplessly watch Nathan. That's what he planned to do, anyway; watch Nathan. He hadn’t seen him in like two and a half days. It wouldn’t have usually been such a problem if he would just answer his text messages like if he actually wanted to talk to him. They hadn’t spoken to each other at all on this day yet. It was nine o’clock at night, an hour into the party. If Nathan wanted to at least pretend that he cared, he would have sent a text by then. But maybe that was it. Maybe Nathan didn’t care.

The two girls successfully found a suit in Warren’s closet, which he only had because his mother told him to bring it to Blackwell, "just in case." He changed his clothing while the girls both turned their backs to him. Max was wearing a flattering pink dress and Chloe was wearing black slacks and a black blazer over a white top. He wondered why they were making him go. They were probably going to go off on their own and leave him behind at the party. They were great together, though. They deserved to be happy with each other.

“Alright, I’m done,” Warren said, straightening out his clothes.

“Great!” Chloe said spinning around. “You look sharp. You’re totally gonna bag a babe today.”

Max smiled at her and walked toward Warren to straighten his tie. “You look great, you’re gonna have fun. Chloe actually convinced me to go and she doesn’t even go here.”

The three of them headed out of the dorms and towards Blackwell Academy’s cafeteria, where the party was being held. Warren tried to ignore how Chloe had her arm around Max the entire walk. It made him a little uncomfortable only because he wished there was someone that would let him hold them for that long. Warren was impressed when they entered the cafeteria. It was decorated with more than just colorful lights and one or two banners, like the usual Vortex Club parties. The entire place was embellished with card stock decorations, streamers, balloons and towards the back corner of the cafeteria, passed the dancing crowd, were curtains closing off the section. Vortex Club territory; Nathan. But at this moment, what was best of all, was the long table near the (nonalcoholic) bar filled with junk food. 

Chloe raced towards the food filled table and snatched what seemed to be a red velvet chocolate chip cookie. Warren and Max followed, smiling and shaking their heads. Her eyes rolled upward as she ate the cookie. “This is amazing,” she said. “If I didn’t want to dance so bad I’d take the whole plate and leave.” She reached for another cookie but Max stopped her.

“Alright, one is enough for now. You’ll get too hyper and start a riot.” Max smiled.

“Aw, fine.” She hooked her arm around Max’s waist. “Let’s dance.”

Max looked at Warren. “Dance with us?”

Warren shook his head and grabbed a cookie. “No thanks, I’ll just keep these cookies company.”

“Suit yourself,” said Chloe, dragging Max towards the dancing crowd.

“We’ll be right back!” Max exclaimed.

Warren sighed and bit into his cookie, which Chloe was completely right about. He leaned his back against the bar and scanned the cafeteria for Nathan. He went through two more cookies as he scanned several more times. He figured that Nathan was probably behind the curtains in the back. He ended up watching Max and Chloe dance together. He could tell how unconfident Max was by the way she danced but how confident Chloe was by the way that she did. He didn’t know how to dance either, though. His mind wandered a little and he thought about how good he knew he would be to Max and how he wouldn’t drag her to stupid parties.

He knew that Chloe was still a very good girlfriend to her though. They really loved each other. But sometimes Warren would let himself imagine what things would be like had she not been saved by Max. Nathan would have surely gone to prison and maybe he would have been able to successfully sweep Max off her feet. He liked this reality though, sort of. Sometimes he even thought about telling Nathan about Max’s powers and what he could have done had she not had them. But Warren knew that he would probably fuck Nathan up further, considering how he already felt about Rachel Amber. Plus, it was something that he swore not to tell anyone, so it was always best to not imagine other realities at all. _There’s nothing like the present_ , he thought as he watched couples dance, by himself.

Warren decided to get a soda instead of another cookie. When he turned back around to crowd watch some more, he finally spotted Nathan, and his heart beat a little faster. He was wearing black slacks with a black vest over a dark red button up shirt with his sleeves rolled up. He was adjusting his black tie as he scanned the room. Warren hoped that their eyes would meet, but they never did. Even though he was still kind of angry at him, he smiled to himself because it was good to finally see him and see him look _so good_. Warren really liked to see him all dressed up almost as much as he liked to see him naked. No boy ever made Warren yearn like Nathan did. His trance was interrupted when he heard someone call out his name next to him.

He turned to see Luke there, with his hand stuffed into his pockets and a tight smile. Luke cleaned up well, too. He wore jeans with sneakers but had a blazer over a button down. The fact that he was all in black was probably why he passed the dress code. Warren smiled at him. “Hey, Luke.”

Luke nodded towards him. “How’s it going?”

“Not bad."

"I didn't think I'd see you here."

Warren shrugged. "Max and her girlfriend dragged me along. There’s free food,” he said, motioning to the table near them.

Luke smiled. “I’ll probably just stick around until they think it’s safe enough to hand out the free booze.”

Warren chuckled. “So that’s why you came?”

“Yeah, I guess. Not much else to do on a Friday night when everyone’s here.”

Warren smiled and took a sip from his soda. It was cool that Luke was talking to him again and not avoiding him. It wasn’t like they talked a whole bunch before but his avoidance was a little awkward to him, although he did understand it. Warren looked back to where he last saw Nathan but only saw the back of his head this time. He was a little closer now and talking to a girl, and Warren was almost going to obsess about what they could be talking about.

“You wanna go hang out?” Luke asked him.

Warren turned back to him. “Sure, when?”

Luke half smiled. “Now.”

“Oh. So, like, not here?"

"Yeah," Luke smiled bigger. "Unless you're gonna finish all the food here by yourself."

Warren chuckled. "Oh, no. Um, you don't wanna stick around for a bit?"

"Nah, I'm not really feelin' it.” He shrugged.

"Don't wanna wait for the free booze?"

"Well, I did, kind of. But I do stupid shit when I'm drunk."

They both laughed and Warren hung his head. Nathan probably wouldn't really care if he went off with another guy. It's not like they were dating, right? Warren didn't want to hurt Nathan, but he also didn't want to hurt himself. Luke was showing clear interest now. So why not jump at the opportunity?

"So?"

Warren looked back up at Luke. "Uh, sure. Where do you wanna go?"

Warren noticed Luke look past his head but ignored it. "We could just hang out in my room." 

"Cool, I should probably just tell Max and Chloe that I'm leaving, so they don't worry."

"Just text them."

"Okay, right." Warren placed his soda on the table, reached for his phone and only moved one step ahead before he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Warren." It was Nathan, staring daggers at Luke but somehow still managing to slightly smile.

"H-hi, Nathan," said Warren. He looked at Luke who was staring back at Nathan, clearly annoyed.

"You two catchin' up?" Nathan asked Luke.

Luke didn't say anything at first. But when Nathan wouldn't look away from him, he rolled his eyes and answered. "Yeah."

Nathan gave him a dirty look as he looked at him up and down. "You're not even dressed right to be here."

"Well they let me in. I was just leaving anyway." He turned his head to Warren. "You still coming, Warren?"

Nathan finally looked at Warren. Warren looked between both boys and swallowed. "Uh..."

Nathan spoke before Warren could. "I invited Warren-"

"As your _date_?" Luke interrupted with an eyebrow raised.

"Say that again and I'll break your fucking face," Nathan said, loud enough for Luke to hear but low enough to not attract unwanted attention.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Whatever, man. I'll see you around, Warren." Luke turned and headed toward the exit.

Warren turned and shrugged Nathan's hand off his shoulder. "Why do you have to be such an asshole all the time?"

"What, did I _interrupt_ something?"

"Maybe. So what?"

Nathan's tongue moved around in his mouth and he looked away from Warren. "I thought you were gonna tell me if you were gonna come."

"I forgot. You could have reminded me had you not been so busy doing who knows what."

Nathan looked back at him, confused. "What?"

"Where have you _been_? I haven't seen you in like three days and you were texting me like you didn't even want to talk to me."

Nathan's eyebrows furrowed and he slowly shook his head. "Warren, I was busy with the party. This happens. Every time there’s a Vortex Club party, I'm the funding. And themed ones cost more money. Themed ones also mean that Victoria drags me around with her little friends to plan. Plus, there's party favors and making sure pigs don't show up. It wasn't personal. I'm... sorry. I guess I should've told you."

It made sense. Of course these stupid parties would be important enough to him and Victoria that they would miss some classes. It wasn't like Warren should have freaked out as much as he did, anyway, because Nathan did still answer his text messages. So he felt stupid and embarrassed and clingy, things that he wanted to _avoid_ feeling. He hung his head, unsure about what to respond with.

Nathan leaned into Warren's ear. "You miss me?"

Warren smiled and moved his head away from Nathan. "Maybe I did." He looked up and kind of wanted to melt. Nathan was smiling back and Warren couldn't believe how lucky he was to be able to even talk to Nathan. He was such a gorgeous boy.

"You should come back with me," said Nathan motioning to the closed curtains in the corner of the cafeteria.

"Oh, I dunno. It's not really me."

"Why'd you come then?"

"Max and Chloe dragged me here."

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Why aren't you with them then?"

"Well, they went to dance and... I dunno..."

Nathan smiled at him and slowly gave him a once over. "You look good."

Warren smiled and felt his cheeks warm up. He tried to hide his blushing by looking at his shiny shoes. "Thanks."

He watched Nathan’s body lean forward a little and waited to hear his voice in his ear again. "You look really great in a suit... I can't wait to take it off later."

Warren lifted his head to see Nathan smirking but before he could say anything, someone shouted Nathan's name from across the crowd. Both boys looked in the direction of the shout and saw Hayden, in front of the curtains, waving his arm. Nathan lifted his arm and Hayden disappeared back into the curtains.

"Gotta go, then," said Nathan. "You coming?"

Warren didn‘t feel comfortable in party environments. He figured he would feel less comfortable around people in the Vortex Club. "I think I'm just gonna leave, actually."

"And go see Luke?"

Warren paused but shrugged.

Nathan looked away for a moment and then back at Warren. "Well, I hope I see you back there. I would like to." He gave him a tight smile and walked away toward the curtains. He didn’t show complete disappointment, but Warren knew that he was. It was interesting to see… maybe Warren was wrong, maybe he did care. Or maybe he was just being manipulative and wanted Warren all to himself. Warren finished his soda and used the bathroom while trying to figure out if he should go hang out with Luke or Nathan. Luke seemed easier. It didn’t seem like he was ever an asshole or hard to figure out. Nathan was an asshole more often than not and it took work to figure him out. Warren didn’t think long, though, because there was still one undeniable fact in all of this, and it was that Warren was in love with one of these boys.

He nervously and awkwardly passed through the crowd and stopped in front of a jock that was his height but twice as muscular. He was guarding the curtains with his arms folded across his chest. “C-can I pass?” Warren asked him.

“C-c-can I p-p-pass?” the jock mocked.

Warren sighed. "Well?"

"No."

“I was invited. Just ask Nathan.” He pointed to the curtains with his hand.

“What’s your name?”

“Warren Graham.”

He grabbed a paper from his back pocket and looked over it. “Your name’s not on here.”

Warren scowled. “He just asked me to come over.”

“He walked in here like ten minutes ago so that’s clearly a lie.”

“Just fucking bring him out here, then.”

The jock poked his head through the curtain and called out to Nathan. Nathan came out from behind the curtain with his eyebrows furrowed. “Walter?” His expression softened when he saw Warren. “ _Warren_ ,” he smiled and then glared at the jock. “Fuckin’ idiot.” He grabbed Warren’s arm and pulled him inside. “Welcome to VIP, ya nerd.” He let go and gave Warren a pat on the back. “You finally made it.”

Warren chuckled. There was a presumably regular alcoholic bar and a couple couches. It was not as special as he thought it would be but it was probably special because it was all illegal. Nathan sat next to Hayden who had a girl in his lap. The two of them had heavy eyelids and in front of them was a table with an amount of marijuana that Warren had only seen in movies. There was a bong, which he also only ever saw in movies, that Nathan was taking a hit from. Warren shoved his hands in his pockets and continued to look around. There were some people he didn't know that were hanging around. There was also Dana and Trevor that were making out on the couch nearest the bar, Logan talking to the bartender, and Zach, Juliet, and Victoria and her minions, as Max had called them, dancing together.

“Hey!” Nathan shouted.

Warren looked at him and Nathan moved closer to Hayden while also nudging him to move over some more. Hayden grabbed the girl as he moved as much as he could and the girl laughed. Nathan patted the empty space near him and Warren walked over and sat. They all conversed casually and Warren had felt strangely comfortable. Hayden was very easy to talk to and the girl was laughing at everything, probably because she was just as high as Hayden always was. In between their conversing the three of them were taking hits from the bong. Nathan finally offered it to Warren but he shook his head.

"Come on, why not?" Nathan's blue irises were surrounded by a pink shade now.

"I dunno, it looks... I dunno."

"It's actually a little better this way. Well, not that it's really that bad anyway."

"It's okay," Warren shook his head.

"Want me to roll you a blunt?"

Warren wrinkled his nose and Nathan smiled. He knew, from movies, that blunts were large and that intimidated him. This was no time to impress Nathan in public with something he was sure he couldn't handle.

"Want me to roll you a joint? Like the first time?"

"I... fine." Warren could deal with a thin joint, and it wouldn't hurt to get high like everyone else. Would it? He watched Nathan do the job and noticed that Hayden was now kissing the girl on his lap. Warren thought that it would be nice to be able to kiss Nathan in public. It would be nice to sit in his lap, too.

Nathan handed Warren the fresh joint with a lighter. He turned and smacked Hayden’s shoulder. "Get a fuckin' room!"

Warren smiled and put the joint between his lips. He lit the end of the joint and started to smoke it the way that he did the first time, which was also the last time that he smoked. He felt kind of cool to have his own joint while the other three were sharing the bong. It didn't take long for Warren to lean back and feel the relaxation throughout his body. He noticed it felt better than the first time; he was higher than the first time. He was almost finished when he realized that he didn't want it to end, but he was still too shy to ask Nathan to roll him another. Nathan was busy talking with Hayden and the girl anyway. He didn't even know what about because the music was loud. He didn't care though, he felt nice. But while watching everyone else in the area talk to someone or dance with someone, he realized that he wanted attention, too. He dropped what was left in his hand into an ashtray on the table. He leaned back and purposely knocked his knee into Nathan's.

Nathan only glanced at his knee and kept talking. Warren wondered if there was a way that he could turn Nathan on in public without anyone noticing. Had he been sober, he would be too shy and afraid of rejection and embarrassment. But he felt something like confidence and a hint of arousal being that high. He wasn't too shy for this. As soon as he thought of something to say and saw that Nathan was no longer speaking, Warren leaned close to him and tapped on his shoulder. Nathan looked at him and leaned his ear toward him.

"Y'know," Warren started. "You're the one that looks really good all dressed up. Like, has anyone told you today that they wanna suck your dick, because I really wanna suck your dick."

Nathan's eyebrows raised and he slowly looked at Warren. He looked back at the table and grinned. He probably laughed, too, but Warren couldn't really hear.

Warren thought of something else to say and grabbed Nathan's shoulder. Nathan leaned toward him again. "And I kinda wanna call you, 'Sir,' while I let you choke me again."

Nathan stopped smiling and looked at Warren little wide eyed. "Are you _trying_ to kill me?"

Warren laughed and Nathan did, too. It was most definitely possible to turn him on in public without having anyone notice. He knocked his knee into Nathan's again and Nathan was going to say something but was interrupted by the girl poking his leg with her foot. She handed him the bong and lighter and Nathan leaned back on the couch. "Since you don't wanna try the bong, you want me to shotgun you?" The two beside him laughed and he nudged Hayden.

"What? What's that?"

"I take a hit and blow the smoke into your mouth and you suck it in and y'know."

Warren glanced at Hayden and the girl. They both looked entertained and although Nathan was clearly high, he said he was still alert when he was, so he knew exactly what he was asking. "Sure," said Warren.

He watched the bubbles as Nathan took a hit. He held in the smoke and placed the bong back on the table. He went in close to Warren and Warren parted his lips. But Nathan grabbed his cheeks with one hand to open his mouth some more, and it kind of turned him on. Nathan pouted his lips, only about half a centimeter from Warren's, and blew the smoke into his mouth. He was able to suck in almost all of it and he held it in while Nathan watched in amusement. Well, while the three of them watched in amusement.

"You guys are hangin' out too much," Hayden laughed.

Warren exhaled as he grinned.

"You jealous?" Nathan asked Hayden, nudging him.

"Shotgun me next, boo!" He pouted at Nathan and the girl in his lap laughed.

Nathan shook his head and smiled. He turned back to Warren and leaned in close. "I don't think I should do that again."

"Because it was gay?"

Nathan grinned. "No, because I really wanted to kiss you."

Warren smiled and he actually really did want to suck Nathan's dick. "I wasn't joking about what I said earlier."

"That you wanna suck my dick?"

Warren nodded and it was the first time he saw Nathan with a goofy grin. It was strange and adorable and Warren wanted to tell him, right then and there, that he was in love with him. He couldn't, though, of course. He looked away from him before the desire became irresistible and coincidentally looked toward Logan who staring at the two of them... in disgust? Warren quickly looked elsewhere and the look on Logan's face worried him a bit. He quickly forgot about it, though. His high was too good. But was it the marijuana or was it love?

"You try any of the food?" Nathan asked Warren, smacking his knee. He was leaning back on the couch again.

"Yeah."

"I'm really getting the munchies right now."

"God, me too!" The girl said.

Warren laughed. "You're both gonna die because they taste incredible."

"Fuck yeah," Nathan grinned and the girl raised her shoulders and smiled.

"I'll get some if you guys want. I won't promise that I won't drop any on my way back though."

"Whatthefuckever, that's what Samuel's here for."

The girl laughed and Hayden shook his head. Warren wanted to make it his mission not to drop anything now, but he wouldn't admit that to Nathan. He got up and felt lightheaded so he stood still for a bit. Nathan laughed and pushed his lower back. Warren furrowed his eyebrows at him and walked towards the curtain but was stopped by Logan. Logan was a little taller than him and definitely more muscular.

"The fuck are you doing here, Gayram?" he asked.

Warren glowered at him and looked at Nathan. Unfortunately, Nathan looked away as soon as their eyes met. Warren was clearly on his own dealing with a bully, again.

Logan snapped his fingers at Warren. "Over here, fag."

"Leave me alone, Logan."

"The fuck are you gonna do about it, nerd?"

"Get out of my way."

"Or what?" Logan poked his chest hard.

Warren stepped back and clenched his teeth.

Logan laughed. "What, you mad?" Logan pushed Warren's chest this time. "You mad?" He repeated and pushed his chest again.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Nathan flew from his seat on the couch and shoved Logan. "What the fuck is your problem, brah?!" His voice only squeaked a little.

"What's yours?" He faced Nathan and stepped closer to him.

"You're my fucking problem!" He shoved Logan again and Hayden appeared beside him.

Logan stepped to his place again. "You better watch it, Prescott," Logan said.

"No, _you_ better watch it, asshole. Get the fuck out of here. Don't even think about showing up to VIP again. If you ever come around, I'll _fucking_ end you."

"Whatever, you fucking rapist," Logan practically growled. He turned, pushed into Hayden and exited through the curtains.

Hayden brushed his shoulder off and patted Nathan on the back. He clapped his hands in the air. "We're good everyone, keep the motherfuckin' party goin'!" One of the girls behind Warren, maybe Dana, hollered. Warren hadn't realized that the people around him were watching the scene. Nathan watched Hayden sit back down with the girl and then he faced Warren.

"You okay?" he asked him.

"Yeah," said Warren, nodding. "Are people still watching?"

Nathan shook his head.

"Good. Thanks for sticking up for me."

Nathan half smiled and nodded. "Don't worry about it. He's a fucking dick." He patted Warren's shoulder. "Now how about those snacks?" He smiled.

Warren smiled back meekly. "Actually... I'm sorry but I kind of really want to go back to my room now."

"Really? Fucked up your high didn't he?"

"No. Well, sort of, but I'm still high. I just... being in fights or like, even near fights is kind of just... overwhelming for me... I'm sorry."

Nathan frowned slightly but then licked his lips. "Okay. Well, I'm sorry." He shoved his hand in his pocket and grabbed Warren's hand. He placed keys in them. "Meet me in my room. I'll be there in like half an hour. I just gotta find an excuse to leave."

Warren smiled and nodded.

"Uh, we don't like, have to do what you said earlier," he shrugged. "We could just, like, uh, hang out or... whatthefuckever." He exhaled.

Warren nodded again.

"Cool." Nathan turned and walked toward Hayden again, grabbing the bong as he sat back down.

Warren headed out through the curtains and out of the cafeteria. He sent a text to both Max and Chloe about leaving early. As he walked out of the school, he admired the starry sky and despite the altercation, was grateful that the two girls dragged him to the party. He did have a nice time and although it was chilly and he wished that he had his coat, the walk to the dormitories was beautiful, too. It was longer than usual, but it was probably because he was high. He walked up the steps inside the dormitory thinking about Nathan the entire time. How good he looked, how he actually wanted to spend time with him, how he rolled a joint for him, how he shotgunned him, how he asked to meet him in his bedroom. Warren was not completely sure about Nathan's feelings but whatever was happening between them was pretty damn nice.

As he turned the corner to where his and Nathan's rooms were he felt a harsh force shove into him. He fell onto the floor, his arms stopping his face from hitting it. "Fuck!" he shouted. He turned his head and saw Logan glaring down at him. Logan gave him a quick and hard kick at his hip and then walked passed him into his own room. Warren scrunched his face as he slowly got up. His hip hurt but the pain wasn't as bad as headbutting. He got into Nathan's room and locked the door behind him. He sat on Nathan's couch and removed his suit jacket and tie.

Logan was going to be a big problem now. A dumb jock like him _would_ hold grudges over something that was his fault. Warren untucked his shirt and looked at the hip that was kicked with the light from his phone. It looked fine but it hurt when he poked at it and by that he knew it would be a bruise by morning. He looked at his phone and realized that he would still have to wait about twenty three minutes until Nathan would get there. He could have sworn that walking took him at least ten. He would probably have to wait about an hour considering that Nathan was always fashionably late.

He leaned his head back against the wall and before he knew it, he was startled awake by knocking. He was confused about where he was for a few moments and confused as to why he was feeling the way he was. But then it all came back to him and he heard the knocking again. He got up from the couch and tripped over a shoe. He hadn't turned on the light when he stepped in the room so he did it this time. He finally opened the door and saw Nathan with an incredulous look on his face and a joint between his lips.

"Sorry," Warren said. Nathan pushed through and Warren shut the door behind him. He sat on his bed and kicked off his shoes.

His face was slightly flushed, probably from the cold, and his eyes were still red and droopy. "Why'd you lock the door?" He asked.

"Um. Just stuff."

Nathan furrowed his eyebrows and took a drag from the joint. Warren sat on the bed with him and Nathan passed the joint. "What stuff?" He exhaled.

Warren grabbed it and sucked. "Well... um," he exhaled. "Um... Logan... pushed me to the floor and... kicked me."

Nathan shot up from the bed. "What?"

"N-"

Nathan headed towards the door but Warren grabbed his arm in time. "No, let go," he said, wiggling his arm.

Warren yanked his arm with both hands, careful not to drop the joint. "Nathan, _please_."

Nathan stared at him. "Why?"

"You're going to make it worse."

“For him.”

“No.” Warren got up and grabbed his face with both hands. "Hey, look. I appreciate you wanting to defend me again but you going out there is not a good idea."

Nathan's face softened slowly but then he moved his head away from Warren's hands. "You're gonna burn my hair off."

Warren looked at the joint between his fingers. "Sorry."

"This is what I didn't want. I don't want to be bothered. I just want to be left alone."

"It's no big deal. You get used to it." Warren sat back down on the bed and took a short toke.

"You get used to it? No, that's not going to happen."

"Hey, c'mere." Warren exhaled and extended his hand. Nathan sat next to him. "He's a bitter knuckle-dragger." He passed the joint to Nathan and he took it.

The two of them were quiet for a bit while they finished smoking. Warren liked having someone come to his defense. It was different and it felt like maybe he _was_ cared for. But he knew that Nathan was a twig compared to Logan. Warren placed his hand on Nathan’s knee and smiled at him.

"I was behind you and Luke earlier. I heard you guys. Were you gonna fuck him?" Nathan asked him.

Warren's eyebrows raised and he removed his hand. "I don't-..."

"Sorry for cockblocking you. I got jealous."

Warren's face went warm. "You did?"

Nathan scooted his body closer to him. "I did. I realized today that I don't like thinking about you with other guys. I don't think I care how many girls you fuck, but... I’ll be jealous if it's another guy."

"Are you telling me not to have sex with other guys?"

Nathan slowly straddled Warren's lap and Warren's hands naturally held his butt. "No. I'm in no position to assume that kind of control over you."

Warren knew what that meant. _We're not dating._

"I'm just saying," he wrapped his arms around Warren's shoulders. "I get jealous." He placed two soft kisses on his neck. "And I want to remind you," two more. "That you won't find," one more. "Another guy." His hand slipped between them and grabbed at Warren's crotch. "To treat you the way I do." He licked at Warren's neck and bit it.

He enjoyed that, Warren enjoyed that Nathan knew the kind of grasp that he had on him. “What happens when you get jealous?” Warren asked.

“Let’s not find out.” He kissed Warren and started rubbing over his crotch.

Warren pulled away. “I thought you said we could just hang out.”

Nathan’s hand rubbed over the forming erection again and he smiled. “I guess we could stop.”

Warren grinned and in one swift movement, he picked him up and dropped him onto the bed. He crawled over him and lowered his face. He wanted to kiss Nathan, but Nathan’s arm pushed against his chest hard and he managed to turn him onto his back. Warren chuckled as Nathan straddled him and smirked. He sat up and roughly pulled Nathan forward by his hips. He tried to kiss him again but Nathan leaned his head back. So Warren attempted to grab his face but Nathan pushed him down by his shoulders. Warren sucked his teeth and groaned. “Just let me kiss you,” he said.

Nathan smiled and peered at him. “Why don’t you say more dirty things to me, like earlier?”

Warren tried not to smile. He was still high but couldn’t think the way that he could before. “What do you want me to say?”

Nathan grabbed each of his wrists and pinned them down above his head. “I don’t know. It was pretty hot. I like hearing you talk dirty.”

Warren’s eyes roved over Nathan’s body until they landed where both their crotches met. “Um, I wan-”

“What?”

“I wanna feel you grind into me. I wanna feel your dick against mine.”

Nathan smirked and adjusted himself before he slowly began to grind his hips against him. “Like that?”

Warren nodded and bit his lip as he felt Nathan's hardness against his own. “Mhm.”

Nathan leaned down and licked from just above Warren’s buttoned up collar to his earlobe and bit. He kept moving his hips slowly until Warren tried lifting his arms. He pressed his hands down firmly, back onto the bed. His teeth freed his earlobe and he whispered, “What do you want?”

“Go faster.”

Nathan complied and started brushing his lips against Warren’s as well. Every time Warren would lift his head to try to kiss him, he’d back his head away. It happened several times before Warren whined and Nathan softly laughed.

Warren was getting desperate. “Let me kiss you,” he said.

“Why do you wanna kiss me so bad?”

“Because.”

“Because?”

“Because I wanna taste you.”

Nathan licked his lips and then bit down his bottom lip. “You still wanna suck my dick?”

Warren quickly nodded his head in desperation because yes, that was just as good at this point. One of Nathan’s hands slipped down between the two of them and began working on his pants. Since one hand was not enough to hold Warren’s wrists down, Warren was able to wiggle himself down, causing Nathan to have to let go and place both his hands on the bed so he wouldn’t fall over. Warren head was directly under Nathan’s crotch now, and in less than thirty seconds he had Nathan moaning. For a while, Nathan was able to hold himself up over Warren’s face and let him do all the work. But then he moved backward so that he hovered more over his chest.

Nathan slid his hand under Warren’s head and lifted it forward. With his free hand he led his dick back into Warren’s mouth. Warren struggled a bit with lifting his head up and down until Nathan held his head up with hands and began slowly thrusting in and out of his mouth. Nathan exhaled. “You like the way I taste, don’t you?”

Warren rolled his eyes upward to look at him.

“Don’t you?” Nathan repeated himself and pushed himself a little further into Warren's mouth.

“Mhm.”

“You like having a mouthful, you fuckin’ nerd,” he exhaled and then grinned.

“Mhmmph.”

Nathan started to move Warren’s head in sync with his thrusting hips. “You like it when I fuck your mouth?”

“Mmmmmm.” Warren’s eyebrows furrowed and he was upset that he couldn’t touch himself.

Nathan bit his lip as he tried to moan quietly. His eyes shut tight when Warren sucked a little bit harder. “Fuck, Warren. You’re so… ugh.”

As Warren let Nathan control his head, his mind started to wander a bit. He was extremely turned on and he wanted to know what it felt like to have Nathan _really_ inside him. He started to imagine it and watching Nathan enjoying his mouth so much was making him want it even more. So Warren put his hands on Nathan’s groins and Nathan slowly stopped. He gently let go of Warren and Warren let his head fall back onto the bed. He was panting.

“Too much?” Nathan asked sitting back but not letting all his weight rest on Warren.

Warren shook his head. “No. I just… I wanna… I’m ready.”

“For what?”

“Like, to go all the way.”

“Like…?” Nathan peered at him and slightly tilted his head. Warren knew that he knew what he was talking about. He bit the inside of his lip as he looked at the pink penis in front of him contrasting with the dark clothing behind it. He nodded. “You sure?” Nathan asked. Warren nodded again.

Nathan scurried off of Warren and got to his nightstand. Warren began to remove his clothes with a small smile and laid on his back once they were both undressed. Nathan hovered over him and finally kissed him again. They laughed softly through the kiss. Nathan sat up and grabbed the lubricant and small towel that he had placed on his nightstand, the only thing left being a condom. He put them on his bed and grabbed Warren's shins. He pushed them upward and apart and Warren felt embarrassed. "If you keep your legs like this, I can see better. And you're not as... closed up." Nathan smiled.

Warren nodded. He never had himself in this position. It made him feel extra vulnerable. He trusted Nathan for the most part but he was still nervous. He watched Nathan grab the towel and nudge it toward Warren's bottom. Warren lifted up until Nathan told him to come back down. "What's the towel for?"

"I don't want my bed to get covered in lube. Also, sometimes accidents happen. Not always, just sometimes. And it's okay if they do. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

Warren didn't even want to think about what he meant. He watched Nathan apply lube on his index finger. His head hovered over Warren's crotch as he smiled reassuringly at him. He licked up Warren's penis and took the tip of it in his mouth. Warren's eyes shut as he felt Nathan's tongue work magic. But he jumped as soon as he felt his cold finger against his hole.

Nathan came up and looked at him. "It's okay."

Warren's legs were jelly now. "Can you... warn me?"

Nathan nodded. "Okay. But you gotta relax. It'll hurt more if you don't relax. Your body and your mind. If you don't like anything, we're not going to do it. Okay?"

Warren exhaled and felt more comfortable about having Nathan be the one to do this. When he first imagined going all the way with him he thought it would be awkward. Awkward and uncomfortable and quick because Nathan was rough most of the time and Warren was awkward. But he was so grateful to be wrong. "I'll try."

"One finger is just going to feel a little different. It won't really hurt."

Warren nodded.

"Do you want me to like count down to blast off?" Nathan smirked.

Warren laughed. "Shut up." He felt Nathan's cold, slippery finger against him again. His legs started to tremble and Nathan's other hand started to rub one of them gently. He felt it push through and exhaled. Nathan was right about one finger. Definitely odd but not terrible. He felt it push through until he felt Nathan's knuckles against his cheeks.

"You okay?" Nathan asked.

Warren nodded. The finger wiggled around and slowly pulled out and pushed back in several times before Nathan told Warren that he was going to add in a second.

"Two might hurt, but it won't make you cry." Nathan smiled to himself and applied lube to his fingers. He rubbed over Warren's hole and then reapplied more lube onto them. Soon he started to feel two fingers enter him. Warren closed his eyes tight at the discomfort and tried to breath steadily. Then he felt Nathan's mouth on his dick again. He exhaled and pressed his head against the pillow as he felt himself being consumed. His hands reached for Nathan's hair and he accidentally pulled it once he felt a new kind of pleasure throughout his lower body. He felt Nathan's fingers pull out a little and wiggle back in and then he felt the pleasure again. His hips bucked slightly because of both Nathan’s fingers and mouth. Nathan's fingers began rhythmically thrusting and Warren started to pant. He felt Nathan’s head lift and so he dropped his hands from it and opened his eyes. "Good, huh?" Nathan asked.

"So fucking good," said Warren, breathlessly. Then Nathan began to place kisses on his thighs and groin and stomach and almost everywhere but his dick. He exhaled harshly when Nathan's fingers picked up the pace. He whimpered and waved at Nathan to come forward. Nathan did so and they kissed, but only for a short time.

"One more, okay?"

Warren nodded and noticed that Nathan didn't explain how much a third finger would hurt this time. Nathan repeated what he did in preparation with the two fingers, and it hurt this time. It wasn't uncomfortable, it hurt, it _burned_. But he wanted it to feel good. He grimaced and tried to remind himself how good he was feeling a few moments ago. Then Nathan's fingers slipped out.

"Hurts a lot?"

Warren nodded.

"Sorry, lemme just use more lube." It was easier the second time, albeit still painful. But Nathan's mouth was on his dick again and soon the pain was forgotten when his fingers traveled far enough. With Nathan bobbing his head and his fingers thrusting, Warren was good, he was set, and maybe Nathan knew that because of how difficult it was for Warren to keep quiet. Nathan pulled his fingers out of Warren and he hurt again. He watched Nathan grab the condom from his nightstand and rip the packet open with his teeth. He slipped it on and applied lots of lube onto it. He pushed his lubed fingers against Warren's hole and then wiped his hand on the towel and positioned himself in front of him. He leaned over him, placing one of his hands on the bed beside him. He kissed Warren and then Warren felt his cold but still warm tip against his hole.

"Be careful, okay?" Warren's eyebrows furrowed.

"I will." Nathan nodded and kissed Warren again, and they didn't stop kissing until Nathan had pushed through. It was really only half of Nathan's tip and Warren panicked internally. He was breathing hard and Nathan noticed. Nathan started to gently kiss Warren's neck. "Relax, babe," he said, softly. Not man or dude or brah. _Babe_. He heard Nathan hesitate and then sigh, probably surprised by his own words. It did help him relax, though. He liked being called a real pet name.

Warren groaned once he felt just a little more than the tip inside of himself. "Fuck," he said, under his breath.

"Worst part is over," said Nathan, as he slowly pushed forward and forward until he couldn't anymore. Although it was still uncomfortable, the fullness and length was overwhelming to Warren, in a good way. Nathan wasn't super impressive but every penis was impressive (sizewise) in comparison to fingers. Both Nathan's hands were now on either side of Warren. "God," he exhaled. "I've never been someone's first. You feel amazing."

Warren chuckled. "Thanks, I guess."

Nathan slowly began thrusting his hips and Warren soon felt the same pleasure as before and almost no pain. It didn't take long for Warren to quietly whimper at every inward thrust. It was a lot more amazing than he imagined. The closeness that he felt was the best for him. When they were giving each other hand jobs or blow jobs it was different because one part of the body was a lot warmer than the rest. But this way, they were both equally warm and close all over. He rested his hands on Nathan's smooth lower back as he continued to feel the slow thrusts. Nathan came down and kissed Warren's lips. As the kiss deepened, Nathan's thrusts came slightly faster. Out of excitement Warren bit Nathan's lip and out of equal excitement Nathan thrust into Warren hard. Warren grunted and Nathan raised his head.

"Fuck, sorry. I got carried away."

"No. That was just fine." Warren nodded.

Nathan smiled and started to thrust at the same pace as before, only his thrusts would come in hard. He had to shush Warren a few times. Warren tried his hardest to keep his lips from parting but moaning with his mouth shut was still a little loud. It didn't help that Nathan kept talking to him either.

"You like getting fucked, then, don't you? You like it hard, hm?"

Warren knew not to respond. If he did he would definitely be too loud, so he could only desperately nod and whimper. When Nathan's pace quickened Warren could hear skin smacking and it turned him on all the more. His hands slid down and he dug his nails into Nathan’s butt as he bit at his neck and continued to whimper this way. Nathan stopped thrusting for a bit and Warren let go of him.

"Hey, try to be more quiet. It's really hot and all but there are still people that don't go to the Vortex Club parties."

Warren laughed. "I'm sorry. It just... Wow."

Nathan smiled as he stood up on his knees and pulled Warren's hips toward himself. Warren's hip still hurt but he kind of liked that it did. Nathan held them up and they both let out quiet but throaty moans when Nathan pushed himself through, hard. Nathan continued his pace from before. Warren wrapped his fingers around his dick and started stroking himself, which Nathan seemed to like watching.

“Fuck, yeah,” he panted, watching Warren’s hand. Warren was started to get overwhelmed. Then one of Nathan's hands traveled up to the base of Warren's neck. "You want me to choke you?" Nathan asked.

"Yes," Warren exhaled and nodded.

"Yes, what?" The thrusts came harder.

"Yesssuh… pl-... ugh, y-yes, Sir." Just saying the words sent shivers throughout his body.

Nathan smirked and pressed his hand against Warren's neck. The pressure made his whole body even warmer. Hearing Nathan grunt and pant and groan quietly as he watched his hand was helping him reach his point. All the sensations had started to cause him to say things that he hadn’t planned. Like when he started to whisper.

"Ugh, fuck me. Yeah, ah. Fuck. Ugh. You‘re so fucking… good," he swallowed and panted and then, "God, I love you."

Warren's heart felt like it stopped for a bit. But Nathan did not flinch, he did not look up, he did not change his pace. It was as if he heard nothing. But Warren was sure he heard him. Yes, he was whispering but he still wasn‘t quiet. He couldn’t think about it much longer, though, because soon he felt shooting euphoria starting at his crotch and traveling throughout his body. He released over his stomach and chest, more than he ever had before. Being able to still feel Nathan thrust into him through his orgasm made him let out a long moan which was only stopped because Nathan’s fingers pressed tighter against his throat as he started to groan in ecstasy, himself. Nathan’s hips slammed into Warren a few more times, as he rode out his orgasm, and then he finally let go of his throat.

Warren lay there, panting and idly stroking himself as Nathan slowly slipped out of him. It hurt him but he tried not to focus on the pain. Nathan pulled the towel from under him and he felt embarrassed when he felt him wipe his bottom. Nathan laughed and leaned over to kiss him. He carefully wiped up Warren’s stomach and chest. Then he removed the condom from his penis and wrapped it in the towel and threw the towel to the corner of his room where his trash bin was. The boys continued to kiss each other and smile in between. Although he still felt some pain and discomfort, Warren was very happy about his first time bottoming.

Nathan lifted his head from Warren’s and smiled. “Happy Valentine’s Day, you little bitch.”

They both laughed and Warren pushed him off of him to the other side of the bed. Nathan got under the comforter and Warren followed. “It feels pretty uncomfortable,” he said.

“You’ll feel just fine in a couple days. You know what helps the most, though?”

“What?”

Nathan smirked. “Letting me fuck you more often.” He grabbed Warren’s waist and pulled him closer. Warren laughed and kissed him. He was definitely going to let it happen more often. He just had to make sure that he didn’t slip and tell Nathan that he loved him again. He couldn’t believe that Nathan didn’t hear him say it. Maybe it was something that he didn’t want to hear so he ignored it. Or maybe he really actually didn’t hear him. There was a lot going on and he was whispering. What if Warren told him again, under different circumstances. Sober and just hanging out. What would Nathan say? Would he distance himself? Would he say it back? Warren needed to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mapped it out and I think this will end at 14 chapters, but I don't want to put that up there yet because things can change, y'know?
> 
> Hope you liked this chapter!


	10. Understood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathan has all different types of moods and feelings, and Warren is there for him every time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added to the tags that there are mentions of rape but no details because of the last chapter and this one. Nothing too major, though!

Nathan Prescott had a dark cloud surrounding him since the first time that Warren met him, when he came into chemistry class, late, on the first day of classes and sat right next to him. He felt the negative energy ooze out of him from the way that he dropped his books onto the table and slouched on the stool. He hadn’t seen that negative energy, that dark cloud, not for a long while. He hadn’t noticed that it was gone, though, not until it came back.

A few days after Valentine’s Day, Warren was undoubtedly ready to have Nathan inside of him again. During the days where he wasn’t too sure, they hadn’t had any sex at all. Warren wanted to, but Nathan had told him that he was working on an important project for his history class. Nathan still let him do his own homework in his bedroom with him, though. One time, Warren tried to distract Nathan by kissing his neck, but failed. By the time he was ready to go all the way again, he felt that he was about to explode, and by that time, he _craved_ Nathan. So he tried to distract him again.

Nathan was typing away in front of his computer when Warren entered his bedroom, dropping his book bag on the floor. Nathan hadn’t turned around to greet him and it did worry Warren for a bit but he was more interested in his mission of trying to arouse Nathan. He walked over to Nathan and put his hands on his shoulders.

“Whatchya workin’ on?” he asked.

“Homework.”

Warren tried to read what he was typing but Nathan minimized the window and just sat there. “Oh,” Warren smiled. “You done?”

“No, I just don’t want you reading over my shoulder.”

“Oh.” Warren let go of Nathan and stood next to him to lean his butt on the desk. He crossed his arms and looked at Nathan. “You’ve been working awfully hard.”

Nathan shrugged. “Well, that’s school for ya.” He got back on the computer, clicked, and started to type again.

“Don’t you wanna take a break?”

“I’d rather just get this out of the way.”

“A break won’t hurt. When’s that due anyway?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Warren whined. “Come on, Nathan.”

Nathan stopped typing and dropped his hands in his lap. He looked at Warren and sighed. “What do you want?”

“Um… well… attention?” Warren shrugged.

“Attention. Well, you have it.”

“No, Nathan.” Warren’s arms fell to his sides. “I, like… I want, like… sex.”

Warren noticed that Nathan’s eyes widened ever so slightly, but then he looked away. “I’m too busy, man.”

“Well, what if… I gave you a blow job while you did your homework?”

Nathan’s eyebrows furrowed. “No.”

“You’re turning down a blow job?”

Nathan looked back at Warren and spoke softly. “I just… I can’t.”

“Why not?” Warren moved in closer to him so that he was almost directly above him. “Talk to me.”

“I… I’m just not in the mood.” Nathan’s knee started to bounce slightly and Warren noticed that that hadn’t happened in a long while.

“I can get you in the mood.” Warren smiled and reached out to grab Nathan’s chin. “It’s been a while. I miss… _you_.”

Nathan exhaled softly and his knee stopped bouncing. He shot up and grabbed Warren’s face for a kiss. But the kiss was soft and delicate and only forceful when Warren made it so. In fact, although Warren bottomed again, he was in control the entire time. He got to ride Nathan this time and the newness of the position was the same as the first time, where Nathan was gentle and calming. But the pace only changed when Warren directed him to do so. It was odd to him, because he liked Nathan’s aggression, but it was enough for the both of them to get off. As they laid next to each other in bed, afterward, Warren tried to ask him if everything was okay. But Nathan reassured him that he was fine and that they were fine. Warren didn’t stop thinking about it, though. It bothered him for the rest of the day and it bothered him into the next day as well.

Nathan was quiet in chemistry. He didn’t try to make Warren laugh and he didn’t doodle anything on his papers. He just sat there and paid attention. He didn’t walk with Warren to his locker either, he headed straight for the dorms. When Warren arrived to his bedroom, he saw him wrapped in his comforter, facing his closet wall. It was a sad scene to see because he had never seen him this way.

“Hey, Nathan,” he greeted, softly. “You okay?”

“What do you want?”

“Just… came to hang out.”

“Leave me alone.”

“Hey, come on, man.”

“Go away.”

“No.”

“Warren, get the fuck out.”

“No.” Warren placed his bag on the floor, slid down against the door, and sat down. “I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s been going on with you. You’ve been like this since Saturday and I’m… I’m fucking worried.”

“Don’t be.”

“If you don’t tell me what’s wrong… I… I’m going to read you my science fiction story that I wrote for English. It’s pretty fucking bad.”

“Don’t.”

Warren waited a couple seconds but then he dug into his backpack until he found the short story. It had earned him an A but he still thought it was terrible. “It’s in my hands,” he said.

“Warren-”

Warren began reading the story. In about five minutes, he almost got halfway through it. Then, Nathan had enough.

“You’re so _fucking_ annoying, leave me alone!” Nathan yelled, throwing a pillow in Warren’s direction.

Warren was startled by the yell and so the pillow actually hurt. And now Warren was embarrassed. “’M sorry,” he mumbled. He thought about what to say next but decided to stay quiet and leave. He gathered his things and stood up from the floor.

“Wait,” Nathan said. “Don’t go.”

Warren looked over his shoulder to see Nathan doing the same.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“I’m just gonna go. I should probably leave you alone. I know I get annoying sometimes, I’m sorry.”

Nathan sat up. “No… I was being a dick.”

Warren furrowed his eyebrows. “I don't think I should stay. You were just telling me to leave.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.”

Warren turned his body and faced him.

“C’mere,” he said.

Warren set his backpack on the floor and sat on Nathan’s bed, beside him. “Are you gonna tell me what’s wrong?”

Nathan hugged his covered knees and didn’t say anything. Warren scooted closer, putting an arm around his shoulders. They sat in silence for a while, Warren, worrying more and more as each second passed. Before Nathan finally spoke, he rested the side of his head on his knees. “Warren…”

“Yeah?” He looked down at him.

Nathan sighed and hesitated. “D-do… do people think... that I’m a rapist?”

Warren flinched in confusion. “What?”

“Do people think I raped those girls?”

“I… don’t know.”

Nathan lifted his head. “I didn’t, Warren.”

“I never thought that you did.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, man. I believed your story when you told it to me and I thought no more.”

“I just… I know you know I like being rough sometimes and… I don’t want you to think that I was into it nonconsensually.”

“I don’t… I never did. Is… is this why you were so weird yesterday?”

“Was it weird?”

“I guess not weird per se, just… different.”

“I just didn’t want you to think badly of me.”

Warren smiled. “I don’t. I like what we do. It’s fun and…” His voice trailed off.

“It's Logan… fucking asshole keeps calling be a rapist. Ever since the fucking party. Every time he passes me… and if people catch onto it, they’ll all think that I am one.”

Warren sighed and held Nathan tight. “He’s a fucking dick.”

“He’s bigger than me, too. Had I been as hotheaded as before he‘d be really fucking sorry…”

“You were thinking about fighting him in his own room the other day.”

“Yeah…”

“Well, it’s good that you’re holding back, though. You’re better than your anger, and a whole lot better than Logan.”

Nathan smiled slightly.

“Try to ignore him, okay?”

But Nathan could not ignore Logan. He ended up getting into a fight with him the very next day. Warren didn’t see it happen but when he overheard Juliet and Brooke talking about it, he was glued to his phone trying to get in touch with him. He wouldn’t respond, though. So Warren worried and couldn’t focus on his last two classes of the day. But as soon as the last one was over, he speed walked to his dorm. There was no answer at Nathan’s door, so he sat in front of it and hoped that he wasn’t inside ignoring him. Was he in his room? What if Nathan was at the hospital? What if he finally got expelled? Why wasn’t he answering his phone?

“You shoulda let me know, Nate.” It was Hayden’s voice.

Warren stood up from the floor and adjusted himself before seeing Hayden and Nathan turn the corner. Nathan only glanced at him and then stared down at the floor. The side of his bottom lip was split and there was a bruise underneath it. Warren tried to meet his eyes, but Nathan wouldn’t lift them.

“Hey, Warren,” Hayden greeted, as the two stopped in front of Nathan's door.

Warren glanced at Hayden. “Hi.” Then looked back at Nathan. “Are you okay?”

A chuckle came from Hayden. “I’ll see you dudes later.”

Nathan nodded.

Warren watched as Hayden walked a few steps to his door and slowly pulled out his keys from his pocket.

“What happened?” Warren whispered to Nathan.

“Nothing.”

“I can see your face.”

“Well, that’s what happened.”

Warren glanced at Hayden who was now on his phone, facing his door.

“Nathan…”

“You saw, didn’t you? Everyone fucking saw.”

“I didn’t. I wasn’t there.”

Nathan finally looked up at him. “You weren’t?” Nathan was still beautiful with a bruise and a cut on his face.

“No. I got really worried. I tried texting you and calling you, even, but you didn’t answer.”

Nathan dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone, which looked smashed. “It had quite the fall.”

Warren frowned. “Shit.” He reached out and held Nathan’s jaw, but it only made Nathan quickly turn his head to look back at Hayden... who was looking over his shoulder right at them. All three boys quickly looked away in different directions, Warren crossing his arms and the other two finally opening their bedroom doors.

Once in his room, Nathan threw himself onto his bed and sighed loudly. Warren shut the door behind him and lied down on his side to look at Nathan. “You’re not dead. I’m glad you’re not dead.”

Nathan smiled. “I’m glad that you weren’t there to see me get my ass kicked.”

Warren scrunched his face. “Was it that bad?”

“Well, after I heard him call me that name again, as he pushed into me, I grabbed him and turned him around and punched him in the face. Then he fucking tackled me. I’m surprised I don’t actually have his fist imprint on my mouth.”

“You don’t look too bad for someone who got their ass kicked.”

“I got up at one point and I tried hitting him again but he punched me in the stomach a couple times before hitting me in the same place on my face.” Nathan pulled his shirt up, to reveal a yellowish and purplish bruise near the side of his stomach. “And then good old Mr. David Madsen pushed through and broke it up.”

Warren lightly touched the bruise. “Hey,” he chuckled. “We’re the _Bruise_ Brothers.”

Nathan laughed. “So stupid.”

“He got us both, now. Except I didn’t fight… very much.”

“Yours is almost gone, though. Mine are going to get worse before they fade away.”

“Did you guys get in trouble?”

“Principal Wells thought that he was going to suspend me for throwing the first punch, but I threatened to get my father down here and sue them both for slander. Didn’t scare Logan’s stupid ass too much but he’s the one that got into trouble. Of course, now he’ll probably come at me harder next time.”

“Well, it’s Friday. I can help you stay out of his way.” Warren slid his hand up Nathan’s shirt.

He smiled. “I actually have to pack some things. I’m going home for the weekend.”

Warren frowned. “Really?”

“Don’t look so sad,” Nathan chuckled. “It’s just the weekend. My sister’s visiting and I can’t leave her hanging. She’s home already, actually. Her flight got here this morning. My therapist wants to meet her, too.”

“Why?”

“Probably because she wants my sister’s point of view of me, or to see if I’m not telling her something. Whatthefuckever, as long as it’s quick. She wants to see her before mine and my father’s session.”

“How has your sister been with everything?”

Nathan smiled. “She’s great. She’s been very supportive. I actually came out to her through email last month.”

“Really?” Warren grinned. "You didn't tell me."

“I dunno, I didn’t think it was super important to tell you.” Nathan grunted as he sat up. “She’s cool, though. She wants me to come out to my parents, she thinks they would take it okay but I don’t think so.”

“You never know until you try.”

“Have _you_ come out?”

“Touché.”

Warren watched Nathan pack his things. He pretended to be on his phone while watching him fold some clothes, carefully pack his camera and headphones, and gather his medication. But Warren liked to watch him. He liked to watch him do normal things. Nathan caught him a couple times when he would look at him through the corner of his eye, but Warren would quickly look back at his phone. When Nathan was ready to leave, they stood with each other by his door, awkwardly unable to keep eye contact.

“So, um, will you text me?” Warren asked.

“With a broken phone?”

“Oh, right,” Warren rubbed the back of his neck.

Nathan chuckled. “I’ll pick up a new one on the way.”

Warren smiled. “Cool.”

“I‘ll text you when I have it.” Nathan adjusted his duffle bag on his shoulder.

“Do you need any help? I know you hurt.”

“Nah, I got it.”

They stared at the ground in silence and then simultaneously tried to speak and then laughed.

“Thanks, Warren,” Nathan said, finally lifting his head to look at Warren normally. “You, uh… you’re a big help.”

Warren grinned and almost wanted to look away from Nathan’s perfect blue eyes because sometimes he was too beautiful to look at. “You are very welcome.”

Nathan turned his head and reached for his doorknob but at the same time, Warren leaned in and accidentally kissed him on his cheekbone. Nathan looked up at him with a pink face.

“Sorry, I didn’t know you were gonna turn. I was just gonna um, kiss you goodbye.”

Nathan let go of the doorknob and placed his hand on the back of Warren’s neck. They each leaned in and kissed and both laughed against each other. Finally, Nathan opened his door and let Warren out first before walking out, himself. He still stood by him as Nathan locked his door. “It’s just the weekend, bro,” Nathan said, quietly, clearly trying hard to hide a smile.

“It was _Babe_ a few days ago,” Warren blurted out.

Nathan only looked at him and chuckled. “Bye.”

Warren smiled shyly and raised his hand as he watched as the boy he loved turned the corner. He felt as if he were about to swoon, again. He licked his lips as he walked toward his bedroom and tasted metal for a second. Who would have known that the boy that had him made him bleed, several months before, would be leaving his own blood on his lips?

Warren spent the weekend the same way that he did before he and Nathan started hanging out; alone, texting Max in hopes that she would come over. It was a little different this time, though, since he and Nathan were texting each other almost the entire time, too, and of course, sending each other the occasional dick pic. Warren felt weird about the latter at first but Nathan's encouragement gave him enough confidence. He even sent Nathan a couple pictures of his butt when he asked for them.

They didn't text very much on Sunday, though. But Warren wasn't worried because that was the day that Nathan had his therapist appointment and the day that his sister was leaving, too. He knew he was busy so he tried not to be clingy. Instead, he hung out with Max and Chloe that afternoon. The three of them watched The Last House on the Left on Warren's TV. He let the girls have the bed and he sat on his computer chair, wishing that Nathan was there to cuddle with him.

Max and Chloe were oblivious to the world around them when they were together, or so Warren thought. They didn't care who was around when they wanted to hug, or cuddle, or kiss. It always made Warren wish that Nathan wasn't just a... friend with benefits? He didn't like the way that sounded. Nathan had soon become Warren's best friend and they were sexual, but sex didn't seem like a _benefit_. It was something that was extra and enjoyable but it wasn't his main intention. He wasn't friends with him just to have sex with him, he wasn't taking advantage of opportunities. He was in love, and although sex was a lot of fun, it was important to try to show Nathan that he cared a lot about him when they had sex.

Once their movie was over, the three friends decided to play a game of Scrabble on the floor. Only a few words into the game, Warren’s bedroom door opened and Nathan appeared. His eyes locked with Chloe’s and then with Max’s and then he only glanced at Warren before he spun around and shut the door. The three of them were quietly staring at the door before Chloe finally exclaimed.

“What the fuck?”

“That was… Nathan,” Warren said.

“I saw who that fucking was. Why did he just come in here like that?”

“Warren and Nathan are friends now,” said Max.

“You’re shitting me.”

“No, we are,” said Warren.

“That fucking psycho? Why?” 

“He’s not… he’s nice. He’s pretty cool. We laugh a lot.”

“People change sometimes, Chloe,” said Max.

“Bullshit. He’s a fucking creep.”

“He was kind of… odd,” said Warren. “But he was going through a lot…”

“What are you fucking him or something?”

Warren blushed.

“Oh, no. You have got to be fucking kidding me.”

Warren got up from the floor. “I’m just gonna go see what he wanted. I’ll be right back.”

He heard Max whisper something to Chloe and Chloe sucked her teeth. He closed the door behind him and sighed hard. He tried to enter Nathan’s bedroom but the door was locked. So he knocked on the door and waited until it opened. Nathan opened it enough so that Warren saw most of his face, which didn’t look very content. His bruise hadn’t faded very much either.

“Hey,” Warren said, softly. “You’re back.”

“Yeah,” Nathan nodded.

“Did you need something? Are you okay?”

“Uh, yeah. I just wanted to," Nathan's eyes dropped. "I dunno.”

“You could hang out with us. It’ll be fine.”

Nathan smiled slightly. “They hate me.”

“No they-”

Nathan's eyes raised back up to meet Warren's. “And… I hate them.”

Warren frowned. “Max doesn’t hate you.”

“Nah, man, it’s fine.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? You don’t look too happy.”

“I’ll live,” Nathan smiled weakly.

“Um, alright.”

The door shut and Warren reentered his bedroom. The girls were still sitting on the floor. Warren sighed before sitting down with them. "Guys," he started. "I have to tell you something."

Chloe snorted. "What, that you're getting it in with Nathan?"

Max lightly punched Chloe in the arm. "Chloe!"

"Well… there _has_ been a thing going on between he and I."

Both girls stared and furrowed their eyebrows in disbelief.

"Like, we've sort of been together. But not together together. But y'know, _together_."

"WHAT?!" Chloe yelled.

"Sshh! He'll hear you!" Warren scolded.

"As if he could hear me through his brooding," she said motioning to the direction of Nathan's door. "I can’t believe I was fucking right. What the fuck? Are you telling us that you've been fucking Nathan and he came in here looking for some ass?"

"No. Well yes. But no. It’s not like that.”

"What's it like then, Warren?" Max asked. "You guys were at each others’ throats at one point."

"We're friends… and we have sex sometimes. But I like him a little more than that. I'm not completely sure why he came in here, he didn't specify. He talks to me when he needs to talk to someone, maybe he needed someone."

"What are you, therapist number five?" asked Chloe.

"I care about him."

Chloe grabbed her head. "What?! What the fuck is going on?" She let out a laugh and was starting to annoy Warren.

Max noticed. "Chloe, I think we should be considerate. People change sometimes and Warren isn't joking about this."

"Okay, okay. It's just... I'm not surprised either of you are into guys, to be honest. But it's just that you two are together. It's like prince and pauper."

Warren finally chuckled. "He's so... I don't know. I just... I like him a lot. But he doesn't want anyone to know about him."

"That's probably best," said Max. "I still get name called every now and then. It's usually from the guys here, so I can only imagine how difficult it would be to be a gay guy here."

Warren nodded. "I tried to invite him over but he said that you guys all hate each other."

"He's right," said Chloe, flatly.

Max looked at Chloe. "I'm willing to put things behind us for Warren."

" _Max!_ He was involved with Jefferson and Rachel.”

"Chloe…”

"He wasn't awake," said Warren. "He told me stories about how he'd sit there and wait for Mr. Jefferson to put a needle in his neck. He would wake up on the floor in his dark room all the time. Sometimes he would even wake up outside his dorm. He used to use Nathan as his male model with all the other girls. He couldn't do anything about it, he was conflicted."

" _Conflicted?_ " Chloe asked, incredulously.

"Mr. Jefferson was nice to him at first, then he was mean, and he let it go on because he thought it was normal, he thought he deserved it. He hated Mr. Jefferson. He would smack him around and hold him at gunpoint. Threaten him if he didn't bring around a new girl-"

"So that's where he learned it from," Chloe said, still showing no remorse.

"I wish you could understand," said Warren. "He's got a lot of mental stuff to deal with.”

“Who the fuck doesn’t these days?”

“Chloe… He‘s like a different person now. He‘s gotten better."

"Warren," Chloe started. "I can't forgive him. I won’t. When he drugged me, I could have been next. And if it wasn't for Max, I would be dead. I won’t believe that he was just a robot in all of this."

"Max said that that was an accident.”

“It was,” Max said, quietly.

Warren continued. “And he told on Mr. Jefferson the same day.”

Chloe stood up from the floor. "No, fuck this. You want to make me think that that prick is some sort of fucking victim? No fucking way. I'm leaving."

"Chloe," Max pleaded.

"Max, come on, or I'll leave without you." She headed towards the door and then exited.

"I'm sorry, Warren. I promise we won't tell anyone. We probably won't all be best friends, but I support you." She stood up from the floor. "I don't want her to be mad at me, so I should go. If you ever need to talk about him, or if he's being weird, talk to me. Okay?"

Warren nodded and watched her leave. He didn’t want anyone to hate Nathan for what he couldn’t control. Chloe was only his friend because Max was his friend. So he didn’t dwell on the argument for long. Plus, Max handled it a lot better than Chloe did and Max was much more important to him than Chloe anyway. He gathered up the board game pieces and put them in the box. He waited a couple more minutes and decided that the girls were probably long gone from the boys dorm. So he headed out of his room and toward Nathan's dorm again. He knocked softly, but got no answer. He tried to turn the knob but it was locked again. He knocked again and put his head close to the door.

"It's me," he said. He waited a few moments but still nothing. As he was turning around, in defeat, he heard the door open. He spun back around. "Hey," he smiled.

Nathan only looked at him and went back into his dorm, leaving the door open. Warren followed and shut the door behind them. "I heard Max and Chloe outside my room."

"Did you?" Warren tried to hide his nerves.

Nathan crawled into his bed. "Yeah. I didn't hear what they were saying but Chloe seemed upset."

"Oh," Warren thought quickly, for once. "She got a text and said that she had to go. She did seem upset over it." He crawled into bed behind Nathan and spooned him, wrapping his arm around Nathan's stomach and burying his nose in his neck. He breathed in his scent and smiled. It was his favorite. "I missed you."

There was silence for a while and Warren started to regret his words. But then he felt Nathan's hand over his own. It didn't take long until their fingers interlaced. Warren had appreciated this feeling between them so much. He never wanted to get up. He felt very important being Nathan's big spoon. He felt like he could protect him, and if he ever had to, he absolutely would.

"Did you have a bad day today?" Warren asked.

Nathan didn‘t answer at first, but after a little while, he nodded.

Warren sucked his teeth. "Shit. I'm so sorry. Tell me next time and I'll come see you."

"It's not your responsibility."

"I wouldn't mind if it was."

Nathan didn't say anything.

“Was it Logan again?”

“No.”

"Your dad?" Warren asked.

"Yeah.”

Warren leaned up on his arm and leaned his chin on Nathan's shoulder. "Talk to me about it. I wanna listen to you."

Nathan was quiet for a few moments before he started to speak. "I decided to come out to him today, with my therapist present."

Warren's eyebrows raised. "Wow. That's big, Nathan." He smiled and hugged Nathan slightly.

"My sister convinced me to do it. He thought I was joking, though. I told him that I wasn't and he didn't even know what to say. He was dumbfounded. He told me that he would rather speak about it in private and I told him no and he told me that this isn't 'the Prescott way' and... I just... I told him to never mind it. And I just left. Early. Took my sister to the airport and… now I’m here.”

"Why didn't text me about it? I would have totally kicked Max and Chloe out. You should have text me."

"Why?"

"Because I don't like to see you like this "

"It happens, Warren. I have depression and my life is shit."

"I... I accept that. But if I can make you feel better, I'm going to try."

"You can't fix me."

"I'm not trying to. I don't think you're broken. Your dad upset you today and I want to make you feel better, that's all. I just... I want to be there when you need someone. Even if... if you need someone to be in the same room as you and not even talk to you, I'll do that. I‘ll… I‘ll do whatever you want me to."

Nathan went silent again.

"Nathan, I’m okay with who you are and with what you go through. But if I can help you in any way, I want you to know that I will.”

"Why?"

"Because... I like you." Warren was going to say it. He had to. This was the moment. "I... I love… you. I, um, I told you before… but we were having sex and I'm not sure if you heard me. I mean, I didn't plan on saying it then, it just slipped and… it was kind of embarrassing, actually. A little more so because you didn't hear it. I just, I care about you a whole lot and-"

"I did hear you."

Warren stared down at him. Nathan was blankly staring at his closet wall. "The first time?" Warren asked.

"Yeah."

"But you didn't, like..."

"I've had sex with people who say it during sex but don't mean it. I thought you were just saying it. I didn't want to bring it up because I thought it'd be awkward."

Warren let himself lie back down on his side behind Nathan. "Sorry if I made you feel weird. It's not necessary to um… it's like just a feeling, I dunno. It-it'll probably go away."

"I hope it doesn't."

"... what?"

"I'm... pretty in love with you."

Warren shot up in the bed with a huge grin on his face. "What?"

Nathan rolled over onto his back. His face was melancholy at first but Warren‘s grin must have been contagious. "I said that I'm pretty in love with you." He licked the cut on his lip.

"Hwa-" Warren shook his head and blushed. He wanted to ask how? and why? but he fumbled. He settled for something different. "Since when?"

Nathan sat up slowly, wincing slightly. "The first night I slept over. You said,” he smiled. “You said that you thought I was just misunderstood and I dunno... it just kinda hit me that… I really liked you. I felt like you understood me and I never feel like anyone does. And you fell asleep on top of me and it was just so different than anything I ever felt before-"

Warren put his arms around Nathan’s neck. He leaned forward and pressed his lips on Nathan's. They kissed softly and slowly and Warren had never felt that kind of elation in his life. It felt as if this was the moment he had been waiting for his entire life. For someone to tell him that they were in love with him. He pulled away from him but kept his arms around him. “So… you love me?”

Nathan smirked. “Yeah, asshole.”

They both laughed and Warren gave him a peck on the lips. “I fell in love with you after that. When you told me that you were scared I wasn’t real. You fell in love with me _first_.” Warren grinned.

Nathan rolled his eyes. “Whatthefuckever.” He smiled and they returned to kissing but only for a little while because Nathan pulled away. “My sister got me a tapir skull from Brazil. You wanna see it?”

Warren’s eyes widened. “ _Yes._ ”

Nathan smiled and peered at him slightly. “Wow.”

“What?” Warren asked, letting go of him.

Nathan scooted himself to the edge of the bed. “I just… I really am in love with you.”


	11. Dip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was almost a perfect day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been over a month and I am so sorry! I've been writing bits and pieces throughout the month, though. This is another roller coaster chapter, too, and I hope that makes up for how long it's been.

Warren awoke because of the sound of Nathan coughing and the bed trembling. He didn’t open his eyes fully, waking up in Nathan’s dark bedroom always made him feel a bit groggy. He drifted off for a few more moments but was woken up again. This time because something fell on the floor. Sucking his teeth, Warren reluctantly sat up and rubbed his eyes. “What time is it?” He asked, looking at Nathan and yawning.

Nathan was still naked from the previous night, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at his phone. He had a lighter in his other hand and a red glass pipe beside him. “Still have like half an hour before your alarm rings,” he said, switching his phone for the pipe. It was early for Nathan to be smoking.

“Did you have a bad night?” Warren asked.

Nathan shrugged and put the pipe to his lips.

Warren laid back down with his hands behind his head. The previous night went well. They admitted their love for each other, Nathan talked about his tapir skull and his sister’s visit for about an hour, and they fooled around before falling asleep. Though, through it all, Warren did see that there was still stress behind Nathan’s eyes. Warren looked toward Nathan again and saw him resting his hands on his knees and staring straight forward, more still than he had ever seen him before. His head slowly turned to look at Warren and he peered at him before raising his eyebrows and relaxing his face.

“What?” he asked.

“I should ask you that.” Warren sat up again and moved to sit next to Nathan, who placed the pipe and lighter on his desk. “You okay?”

Nathan looked straight forward again. “I will never… not disappoint my father.”

Warren frowned.

“I’m… such a fuck up. I’m just so fucking… I’m the weird child.”

“Hey,” Warren put his arm around Nathan’s shoulder. “Being weird’s not so bad.”

“Old people don’t share that opinion.”

“I think you guys just need to keep talking. About it and about everything else. It’ll get better. And, well, I’m still here for you when it’s not going so good. Remember to talk to me, too. I don’t want to see you hurting.”

Nathan’s lips slightly curved upward. He looked at Warren and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “I like you, Warren.”

Warren grinned. “You like me? Or you _like me like me?_ ”

Nathan chuckled. “I like you like you.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“You want me to prove it?”

“Is half an hour enough time for us?”

Nathan smirked. “What do you mean?” He peered at Warren.

“Wh-… for… um, sex?”

Nathan parted his lips. “You pervert. Is sex the only way someone can prove that they like you?”

Warren blushed and let go of Nathan’s shoulders. “Shut up, now I feel all weird.”

“So you don’t wanna anymore?”

“Well, yeah… if you want to.”

“I always want to,” Nathan smiled. He got up and straddled Warren. “Let me take my daddy issues out on you.”

Warren grinned and slid his hands up Nathan’s bare, fuzzy thighs. They kissed but froze. Although it had happened before, neither of them felt super comfortable being intimate before at least brushing their teeth. “We should go wash up first,” said Warren when he backed his head away.

Nathan nodded. He got up off of Warren and turned to his desk to take another hit from his pipe. Warren watched his bare and pale butt, smiling at the hairs that occupied it. He wondered what it would be like if Nathan bottomed. If he was aggressive enough, Nathan would probably let it happen. But Warren was a little too shy to be so forward. Plus, he did really enjoy being submissive.

Nathan’s body turned and Warren looked up at his face. “You done staring at my ass, homo?”

Warren chuckled. He got up and playfully hit Nathan on his arm as he walked over to the couch, where his pants were thrown the previous night. He slipped them on without bothering to find his underwear. Next he grabbed his phone and keys from the nightstand. It was beside Nathan’s tapir skull, which was inside a rectangular glass case now. “I’ll be back in a bit, then. Try not to take too long, stoner.” He opened the door and closed it behind him.

“Are you serious?”

There was a laugh to his right. Warren glanced and then did a double take. Zach was standing in front of his own room, with the school paper in hand. Warren was wearing nothing but the pants that he wore the previous day, having just come out of Nathan’s bedroom in the very early morning.

“Logan was right,” Zach laughed a second time. “Oh my God.”

Warren made a bee line to his room and got in as quick as he could. Covering his face and sighing, he slid down his door and onto the floor. It wasn’t that he was surely going to be bullied by Zach and Logan, it was that Nathan was. He quickly sent a text to Nathan, telling him to take his time because Zach saw him. But Nathan only replied, “Whatever.” 

It wasn’t a good sign, but Warren still had to get ready for the day. He slipped on a shirt from his floor, gathered his things and headed for the showers with his head down. No one was in there yet, it was just his stupid luck to have Zach see him earlier. After he was finished in the showers, and he was walking back toward his room, he saw Nathan coming out of his own, shower caddy in hand. His eyes were red and his eyelids heavy.

"Hey," said Warren, when he was close enough to him. At first Nathan didn't even seem to notice Warren at all. So Warren repeated himself. " _Hey._ "

Nathan looked at him and smiled. "Hi."

"Guess you kept smoking, huh?"

"Lil' bit,” he smirked. “So?"

"You shouldn't go to class too high, Nathan. I know Hayden knows how to act sober but you," Warren half smiled, "I don't think you're a great actor."

Nathan laughed. "Hayden is a master at not getting caught."

"We should probably go straight to class when we're done. I don't want to accidentally go late. I... I don't want them to bother you either." Warren rubbed the back of his neck. "Logan's been talking."

Nathan didn't answer. He only stared at Warren.

"Nathan?"

"What?"

"Did you hear what I said?"

"What?"

"I-... I said that I'm gonna go straight to class when I'm done and you should, too."

"Of course we will."

"I mean like, done getting ready and," Warren began to whisper. "Not have sex before."

"What? Why?"

Warren studied Nathan for a few seconds. He was visibly high and he seemed to be breathing hard but deep. "Maybe you shouldn't go to class at all. Maybe you should just like, rest. You don't look good."

"I always look good. Move," he said, pushing Warren out of his way and heading toward the showers.

Warren watched him, worried. He thought about going after him to make sure he didn't fall over or something, but Daniel came out of his room and headed toward the shower, too. So instead, he went to his own room and got dressed in clean clothes. He had never seen Nathan that high before. It was probably his text that made him anxious enough to get so high. There were about forty minutes left until first period and he couldn't see Nathan one hundred percent sober by that time. So he felt that he had to stop Nathan from going to class at all.

Once he was dressed, Warren waited outside of his bedroom. He waited about five minutes until he decided to play a game on his phone. He glanced up every time someone entered and exited the showers. He was near leveling up twice in his game before Nathan finally walked out, and when he did, he immediately looked in Warren's direction and grinned. He walked quickly to him and kissed him.

Warren shot backward. " _Nathan!_ " he scowled.

"What?" He smiled. His hair was still wet, water trickling down his face. His shirt had wet marks on it and was sticking to his skin.

Warren put his hand on Nathan's shoulder and walked him across the hall to his bedroom.

"Warren, I'm not drunk, I can walk," Nathan chuckled. He opened the door and they both entered. Shutting and locking the door behind him, Warren walked toward Nathan's closet and grabbed a towel. Nathan only set his shower caddy on the floor and threw himself in his bed. "I'm gonna go back to sleep."

"Oh." Warren raised his eyebrows and sighed in relief. "Good." He dropped the towel over Nathan's face. "Dry yourself up, first."

"I forgot to bring it," said Nathan, through the towel.

"I know."

Nathan sat up, letting the towel fall into his lap, and took off his shirt. He dried his chest and back and then worked his way up the back of his neck, then to his hair. It was the first time that Warren really saw and noticed just how long Nathan's hair really was. It was as long as his own save for his grown out undercut. It was just that Nathan put a Hell of a lot more effort into his appearance than he did. It made him smile.

Nathan threw the towel onto his couch and laid back down. "A nap would feel nice right now," he said. Then he rolled onto his stomach. "Unless you want to keep me up."

"You should go back to sleep. Say you caught a bug or whatever."

Nathan grabbed a pillow and hugged it underneath his chin. "Why?"

"I think you're too high to go to class. I don't want you to get into trouble."

"I fucking own this school, Warren. If I wanted to, I could blow it up."

"I don't know about that."

Nathan rested the side of his face on the pillow. "I could," he mumbled.

"Did you keep smoking because of what I text you?"

"What did you text me?"

"About Zach seeing me."

"I didn't get that."

"You responded."

"Well, I guess I did get it then."

Warren furrowed his eyebrows. "Did it make you anxious?"

Nathan didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry. He's an asshole. Logan, too. Apparently they've talked about us."

"Liking boys is so dramatic."

"It's worth it, though," Warren smiled.

Nathan looked at him and smiled back. "I thought about that while I was showering."

"About it being worth it?"

"Yeah." Nathan sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. "I almost jerked off in there. But then I thought it would be weird."

Warren furrowed his eyebrows but smiled. "Yeah, that would be weird." He innocently thought Nathan was agreeing with him about positive emotions, not sexual ones. Much like he had earlier in the morning.

"I'm not in the showers anymore, though." Nathan spread a leg out onto his bed and started to grind his hips into it. "Let's fuck around."

Warren watched Nathan's butt rise and sink a couple times before responding. "I... think you should sleep off your high. If that's possible. Is that possible?"

"Yeah and no, I'm not doing that. I changed my mind. C'mere." Nathan reached a hand out and hooked his fingers inside of Warren's jeans.

Warren didn't even try to fight when Nathan pulled him close, he just followed and smiled. He thought it was cute.

"Let me smoke _your_ bowl," he said.

Warren laughed. "I-... I need to go." He tried to mean it. He tried to tell Nathan that if they both didn't show up, Zach and Logan would probably start talking to more people about them. He tried to tell him how he didn't want him to get bullied. He tried to tell him a lot of things, but suddenly his dick was halfway in Nathan's mouth. 

By the time they were both naked again, and Nathan's body was hovering over his own, Warren forgot all about classes and bullies. Those things were far away and meaningless because now, Nathan was whispering sweet nothings into Warren’s ear while his hand very slowly stroked his cock. At first they were things like, “You’re so good to me," and, “Does that feel good?” Followed by small kisses around his face and neck. Then, when Nathan decided to squeeze his hand a little tighter and line up his sheathed erection with Warren’s hole, so that it was just pushing up against it, the sweet nothings became naughty. There was a “I love hearing you whimper like a chick,” and then a, “You want me to fuck you yet?” Followed by bites on his neck.

Warren had let out a, “Yes,” with a long sigh. Nathan continued to bite small places around Warren’s neck and chest as he readied the both of them for the festivities. But that didn’t mean that Nathan was ready to move in. He let his cock keep teasing Warren, pushing against him only slightly harder than before. Kissing him and stroking him, Nathan seemed to have wanted to make Warren formally ask to be fucked. So that’s what Warren did.

“Can you do it now?” he asked.

Nathan slowly blinked and smiled. “Tell me exactly what you want.”

Warren furrowed his eyebrows. “I want you… I want you to fuck me.”

Nathan licked his lips. “No. Not good enough.”

Warren sighed.

“Call me Sir, today. I liked that,” Nathan smiled. “And beg for it.”

Warren nodded. “Please, Sir.”

Nathan stopped touching Warren and placed both his hands on the side of him. “Still not good enough.” He continued to push against Warren.

“P-please, Sir, I… I really want you to fuck me. _Please._ ”

Nathan’s eyebrows raised slightly. “Good boy.”

His words making him melt, Warren let out a short whimper that almost embarrassed him had it not been for the soft kiss that Nathan placed on his lips. But soon Warren was grunting. Nathan didn’t use fingers to help prepare him this time. It didn’t hurt as much as he thought it would but it did still hurt. “It hurts,” he informed.

Nathan’s head was right beside his. “Relax, you have to relax,” he said.

Warren listened, and it was going a lot better until he felt the tip of Nathan’s dick finally slide through. He grunted loudly. “Fuck,” he whispered.

Nathan kissed his neck. “You wanna stop?”

“No, no. Just… I think it hurts more if you go slow.”

Nathan lifted his head and smiled at Warren. “Okay.” He pushed his hips forward and Warren groaned in a mixture of pleasure and pain. Now he was almost all the way inside. “Better? You okay?”

Warren nodded.

Nathan’s hand cupped Warren’s jaw. “You’ll be okay.” His thumb grazed over Warren’s lips and Warren tilted his head slightly in order to let it in his mouth. Nathan raised an eyebrow in delight and started thrusting slowly. “You’re perfect,” he said.

Warren sucked lightly on the thumb in response. He started to feel much better once Nathan started to hit his prostate. Nathan’s free hand rested itself at the base of Warren’s neck and his thrusts came in a little harder. His other hand soon followed because Warren couldn’t keep his mouth closed anymore. Warren watched the hunger in Nathan grow with every thrust and sigh. Then Nathan let go of Warren. He slowly pulled out of him, making him wince, and instructed him to get on his hands and knees.

“Yes, Sir,” Warren whispered.

It was a new position for Warren again, but it excited him nevertheless. He got on all fours, horizontal to the bed, and Nathan got behind him. His hands rubbed and squeezed at Warren’s butt cheeks, making him grin like a fool. Then soon enough, Warren was feeling Nathan’s cock and the cool sensation of freshly applied lubricant. It was easier this time, and it felt even better, too. It didn’t take long for Warren to feel the need to muffle out his moans. He reached for a pillow and stuffed some of it into his mouth. Then Nathan’s thrusting stopped. His hand slowly rubbed up Warren’s spine.

"You good?" He asked him.

Warren let the pillow drop from his mouth. "Yes, Sir, I just... it's hard not to make noise."

Nathan's hand slowly rubbed downward. "Am I going too hard?"

Warren smirked. "Not hard enough, Sir."

The hand on his back froze. "What was that?"

"Not hard enough, Sir," Warren repeated.

He felt Nathan's body lower over him. His hand grabbed a bunch of his hair and pulled back. Nathan's face was beside his now, hungry and ever so slightly menacing. "You trying to challenge me?"

Warren licked his lips. "I don't think you can go any harder, Nathan." The hand in his hair pulled and he winced. "Ah, Sir."

"I _have_ been easy on you."

"Prove it. Gimme all you got. Hurt me."

Nathan's eyebrow raised slightly, as his eyes roved over his face. His face moved closer to bite Warren's earlobe and he let it go slowly before letting go of his hair. He felt Nathan get back in his place again, with his hands on his hips, and he waited, with a smile on his face. Nathan pulled out almost all the way and then pushed in as deep as he could, making Warren exhale loudly. He pulled out again, almost all the way, and then shoved himself in hard, this time, making Warren grunt. He repeated this action a few times before deciding to change his pace. But there was no build up like there had been, it was straight the rough fucking that Warren had asked for.

Warren couldn't keep his eyes open and he couldn't keep his mouth shut. He tried his hardest to not make a noise each time Nathan rammed into him. He wasn't sure if there were still boys in the dormitory but he blindly stuffed the pillow back into his mouth. And this seemed to please Nathan. As he took a break from thrusting for a couple moments, Warren could hear him chuckle, and say, "That's how you like it, then, you fucking pillow biter." Then he continued, controlling Warren's hips, making his ass slam hard into his own hips.

"Is this hard enough for you?" He asked through ragged breaths.

Warren tried to answer but his words were muffled. Then there was a hard smack on his butt that gave him a strange kind of pleasure.

"I can't hear you," said Nathan.

Warren opened his mouth wide, to let the pillow drop from his mouth, and in the process, it fell onto the floor. "Fuck," he muttered. Keeping quiet was going to be difficult for him again. "No, Sir," he finally answered Nathan.

Nathan took a break from Warren's hips and chuckled. His barely there fingernails grazed Warren's back and once they reached back down to his hips he dug them into his skin. Warren breathed out harshly, wishing the pillow wasn't on the floor.

"Wait," he said.

"Too much?"

"Nuh uh, I... the pillow fell. I need, um, I need something to keep me quiet."

There was another chuckle that came from Nathan. "Lie down slowly. Use the comforter."

Warren listened. He slowly slid his legs downward and his arms forward, to rest his head on them. Nathan followed, still inside of him, slowly spreading Warren's legs so he could angle his hips upward. His hands reattached themselves to his hips and without warning, he started to thrust hard again.

Warren bit down into the comforter underneath him and practically yelped. Along with his thrusting, Nathan started pushing Warren's hips downward into the bed so they could slowly jump back against him. Now with his dick occasionally rubbing against the bed, he was sure he wasn't going to last long. Soon he was just feeling used, and feeling used made him feel dirty, and feeling dirty, well, feeling dirty was just too good.

The comforter wasn't enough to keep Warren quiet, though. If he wanted it to work properly, he'd have to bury his face into it, and not care about being able to breathe. There was too much stimulation to keep himself quiet so he turned his head, sighing when he saw Nathan's flushed and focused face. "N-Nay-"

Nathan only glanced at him.

"Sir."

This time Nathan gave him his attention, smiling, and still thrusting.

"I- ha- I... it’s not… helping. I can't… be, be quiet."

Nathan grinned and slowly ceased his thrusting. He let go of Warren's hips and lowered his body onto him. Warren turned his head to face forward again and he could feel Nathan's knees touching each side of his own now, their bodies almost matched up. Then he saw Nathan's arms come into view and a hand clamp over his mouth. Warren whimpered as Nathan's other arm rested underneath him near his throat. The slight feeling of restraint almost made him swoon.

"Ready this time?" Nathan asked, purring in his ear now.

Warren's hands grabbed the inside of Nathan's elbows. "Mhm."

At first Nathan slowly pushed in and out all the way, again. Then he repeated his earlier process of pulling out almost all the way and slamming his hips downward. The pace quickened quickly. When Warren was on all fours, he mainly moaned in pleasure. But being able to hear Nathan's grunts and groans and heavy breathing in his ear made him want to moan in response each time he heard him.

"You're so _sexy_ ," Nathan said. Warren's eyebrows raised at the compliment. "I could fuck you all day." His eyebrows furrowed. Then Nathan bit Warren's earlobe and Warren's eyelids fluttered. 

Nathan's pace wasn't as quick as before because he was only using his hips but it was still hard; still delicious. He only took one break from thrusting to grind his hips into Warren's backside and tell him how good he felt. All Warren could do was whimper and moan in response. When Nathan went back to thrusting Warren felt that their bodies were slick against each other. Even the hand around his mouth was feeling slightly moist. It didn't take many more thrusts for Nathan to raggedly whisper in his ear again.

"Fuck, I'm gonna cum. Ugh, fuck."

Nathan quickly let go of Warren and shot up, back to his previous position. It took just a few quick thrusts before Nathan brought himself to orgasm. He was quieter than Warren when he had an orgasm, only breathing harshly and occasionally humming lowly. Nathan kept pulling in and out slowly, riding out his orgasm. Warren still laid there until he felt Nathan pull out of him. He got up slowly and laid down on his back, his bottom sore. Nathan walked over to where his trash can was, removed the condom, and dropped it inside.

Warren smiled as Nathan crawled onto the bed toward him and stopped in between his legs. His fingertips traced small patterns over his stomach. "That was really good," he said, eyelids still heavy from being under the influence.

Warren nodded. "I thought so."

Nathan trailed kisses up the length of Warren's dick and sucked in a wet kiss at the tip. "You taste like you're already close."

Warren only smiled in response.

"I got carried away. I tried holding out longer but it was building up too much. Sex feels better when I'm high," he smiled. He took in just the tip of his dick and slid the tip of his tongue through the slit.

Warren exhaled. "Definitely the weed, not me."

Nathan lifted his head and grinned. "I didn't mean it like that." He engulfed Warren's dick this time, receiving a gentle hand through his hair as remission. His hair was still slightly damp, it was messy and wavy now; different than its usual neatness. It made him look a lot younger and if it weren't for the dick he had in his mouth, Warren would have pointed it out to him. 

He watched Nathan's blue eyes for a short time before he released inside his mouth, and it was interesting to Warren that the spoiled rich boy of Blackwell Academy loved having a particular nerd cum in his mouth. Warren pointed it out, after Nathan swallowed. “You almost never let me cum anywhere else,” he said.

Nathan licked his lips. “Does that bother you?” He crawled forward and gave him a peck on the lips.

“Nuh uh. It’s… hot.”

"You wanna cum somewhere else?"

Warren thought for a moment but he wasn't interested. "No, I like it."

Nathan grinned and rested his head on Warren’s chest and fell asleep soon after. It was only then that Warren realized that they weren’t going to be making it to first period. He reached over for Nathan’s phone on the nightstand to see that second period had already begun. He sighed hard as he thought about all the work he would probably have to catch up on. With Nathan sleeping on his chest, there was no way he was going to make it to second period either. Nathan took a deep breath in his sleep, and Warren figured that missing classes wouldn’t hurt, so he let himself fall asleep, too.

By the time that the two boys woke up, fourth period, lunch time, was almost over. They each showered separately but instead of going to their next class, they decided to meet back in Nathan’s room. Warren knew that Nathan wouldn’t admit it, but they both didn’t want their time together to end after spending their night and morning the way that they had. So Warren decided that skipping the rest of the day and asking Nathan to go on a date with him would be a good idea.

"You wanna hang out today?" he asked Nathan, who was texting on his phone.

He didn‘t look up. "We do, like, everyday. We‘re doing it now."

Warren half smiled. It was a wonder to him that Nathan didn't hadn't grown tired of him. "I mean, not in our rooms. Not at Blackwell at all. Maybe like..." Warren suddenly didn't want to finish. Despite Nathan's own sexual orientation, he would probably call Warren gay for wanting to go on a date. Not that Warren really cared, but calling him gay was mostly disapproval.

"Like a date?" Nathan finished Warren's sentence, and looked up from his phone.

"Oh, um, well, we don't have to call it that-"

"Yeah."

"Sorry."

Nathan smiled. "No. Yeah, let's go on a date."

Warren's eyebrows slowly raised. "Oh, wow. I didn't think you would like that. That was easy. Ha."

Nathan smirked and patted Warren's leg. "Should I wear the dress?"

Warren laughed. "If you want to. Um,” he rubbed the back of his neck. “We could like, go to the Two Whales and um... there's this lighthouse near the boardwalk. It's got a really nice-"

"Warren, everyone in Arcadia knows about the lighthouse."

"Right. Sorry. I'm not great at coming up with date ideas. The drive-in is pretty cool, too. But it's closed for a while. I didn't even think you'd want to go on a date at all. Sorry I'm not like… fancy either."

Nathan put his arm around Warren's shoulders. "I can have a good time with you anywhere. It doesn't matter where and it doesn't have to be an expensive place. You do know that I eat at the Two Whales, too, right?"

Warren smiled meekly. “Yeah.”

“Just meet me after class in the parking lot.”

“Why don’t we go now?”

Nathan took his arm back and smirked. “And cut?”

Warren shrugged. “Well, we basically skipped the whole day already. Let's fuck shit up.”

Nathan grinned. “Alright. Great.”

“Cool,” Warren smiled.

“I’m a bad influence on you.”

Warren nodded.

“So we’ll have lunch first. But before that, I gotta meet Hayden. Gotta give him some cash to see Frank for me.”

“Okay, sure.” Warren had heard about Frank and had even seen him around on a few occasions. He was the drug dealer of Arcadia Bay. “Why not see Frank yourself? If it’s because of me, I don’t mind-”

“No, no,” Nathan half smiled. “He, uh," his smile slowly faded. "He was with Rachael for a bit and I… after everything with the court and Jefferson… I never went to see him again. Really rather not."

“Oh.” Warren watched Nathan stare at his phone until it faded to black. It seemed to interrupt his thinking because then he got up and grabbed his Letterman jacket.

“Let’s go,” he nodded towards the door.

“Let me just get my coat-”

“No.” Nathan quickly walked over to his closet, grabbed a thick cardigan and threw it toward Warren. He caught it and smiled as he put it on. Cardigans weren’t his thing at all, but Nathan’s cardigans… well, maybe those were.

Warren smiled the entire time that he walked with Nathan. They made small talk on the way to the parking lot and while they waited for Hayden. Wearing the cardigan that belonged to the boy he was in love with made him feel warm and tingly. He listened to everything that Nathan was saying but still drifted off now and then to the scent on the cardigan and to Nathan’s blue eyes and back to the scent.

When Hayden finally arrived, he came rushing toward them. “Dude, hurry up, Madsen said he had his eye on me while I was trying to slip out but I made it look like I was just going to the bathroom.”

Nathan dug in his pocket and took out a hundred dollar bill. “Alright, just get me a quarter and keep the rest.”

Hayden took the money and nodded at Warren. “Hey, what’s up?” He looked back at Nathan. “You guys playing hooky?”

Warren smiled but before he could say anything, Nathan spoke. “Bring it by my room tomorrow, at lunch.”

Hayden chuckled and raised his eyebrows. “Okay. See you then. Later, Warren.”

“Later.”

Hayden turned and jogged back toward the school.

“Y’know, I think he knows,” said Warren.

Nathan reached into his pocket and his car beeped. “Whatever.” He opened the car door and climbed inside.

Warren walked around the car and entered, wincing slightly when he sat. “It’s alright to talk to your friends about us.”

Nathan opened his glove compartment and took out a prescription pill bottle. He took a pill dry, started the car and drove out of the parking lot. Warren expected him to be a fast driver or have some serious road rage, but he seemed very careful and focused. It was probably because of the medication. Warren was a slightly nervous driver himself, always worried that trucks were going to ram into him or that he was going to get stuck on railroad tracks. He thought about getting medication for himself, but his case wasn’t as serious.

Their lunch together was pleasantly nonchalant. Nathan was able to put his negative thoughts behind him because he was all smiles and stupid jokes, just how Warren liked him. They took their time eating and chatting and decided to take a walk on the boardwalk before they headed toward the lighthouse. That is, if Frank wasn’t there. Before their time in the diner was over, Nathan ended up giving Joyce a big tip in order for her to keep quiet about their cutting. Warren liked that, because he really did like Joyce, even if her daughter was a little abrasive.

Luckily for the two boys, the beach and boardwalk ended up being Frank free. It was cold, though, and they mostly stood in one place, in an embrace. Warren grinning like a fool, with his arms inside Nathan’s jacket and around his waist. Nathan, smirking and pretending that he didn’t want to be held. They kissed for a while before deciding to watch the sunset at the lighthouse. Once there, they sat at a bench that over looked the sea, where the sun would always take its dip. It was romantic to watch the sun set. Warren loved romance very much and he loved that he was able to be romantic with the boy he loved. It was almost a perfect day. They spoke briefly about nature and its beauty. Nathan admitted that he had a hard time noticing this part of nature. He usually found beauty in the bleak parts of nature; its death and its darkness. But Warren reassured him that everyone found beauty in different places and that he found his nature photography to be “good stuff.”

Their surroundings soon became dark and cold, but neither of them seemed to care at that moment. Warren stared at Nathan, the moonlight illuminating his face. Even in the night, his eyes were beautiful.

Nathan glanced at him but looked away, shyly. "You always do that."

"What? Look at you?" Warren smiled.

"Yeah."

"You're... amazing."

Nathan looked at him. There was something that he wanted to say, but it wasn't coming out of him. So Warren wrapped his arm around his shoulders.

"It's getting cold," said Nathan.

Warren smiled. "Yes, it is. Watching the sunset in this weather, by the water, probably wasn't the best idea. Sorry."

"It's cool. I'm having a nice time with you."

Warren smiled and rubbed Nathan's shoulder. It probably wasn’t much to warm him up, but he liked trying. "Hey, are you ever the little spoon?"

"No."

"Wanna be?"

"Uh, here? On a bench?"

"Yeah, well, we don't have to lie down." Warren took his arm off Nathan's shoulders and spread his legs out as he sat up straight. “Sit here,“ he said, tapping on the space between his legs. "It’s spooning, but sitting up."

Nathan chuckled. “Okay.” He sat in the small space and Warren wrapped his arms around his waist, resting his head on his shoulder. Nathan placed each of his hands on Warren's legs. "I feel like a chick."

"They like feeling safe. All little spoons like feeling safe. I... I want you to feel safe."

Nathan tilted his head and Warren tilted his own as well. They kissed briefly. "I do," said Nathan. The two of them sat there for a while, feeling each other's warmth. Nathan‘s hands slowly rubbed back and forth over the sides of Warren‘s thighs and Warren wondered if Nathan could feel his bulge growing. He probably did. "Uh, I wanna ask you a question," said Nathan.

Warren smiled. "Anything."

"Do you like being the bottom?"

Warren grinned. "Yes. A lot more than I thought I would," he chuckled.

Nathan slowly nodded.

"Is there a reason that you're asking?"

"Do you think you'd ever wanna top?"

Warren grinned bigger than before. "Um, yeah. I've thought about it. Um, a lot. Do you... want to bottom sometime?"

Nathan nodded. "I do. I just know you're not like aggressive by nature so you would never try. So... I'm asking for it."

"Oh, okay," Warren exhaled, already feeling his bulge grow significantly. "Um, cool. Does it have to be like a role play thing or-"

"I really like being roughed up but if you're not comfortable with that, uh, we could be vanilla. I've wanted it for a little while."

Warren smiled. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Warren placed a kiss on his neck.

Nathan half smiled. "I half expected you to just take control at some point but then I guess I just accepted that you wouldn't."

Warren giggled. He couldn't help it. The thought of being able to top and watch Nathan writhe beneath him, or even watch Nathan use his cock above him, excited him beyond his normal sexual fantasies. He wanted to impress Nathan, of course. He wanted to say the right things and turn him on, if he played his cards right it could happen that same night. So he tried.

"So...," Warren thought for a moment. Nathan liked dirty talk. There was dirty talk in the porn that he watched but it wasn't like he memorized any of it. "Um, so... you want me to fuck you."

Nathan nodded.

Warren swallowed, he didn’t want to embarrass himself but he had to just go for it. He kissed Nathan’s neck again and trailed small kisses from the base to his ear. Then he licked over Nathan's jaw line. He'd never done that before, but Nathan had done it to him a few times and he loved it. Luckily it had the same effect on Nathan. His hands squeezed Warren's legs.

"I _need_ you to fuck me."

Good responses. Warren placed his hands on Nathan's thighs. He bit his lip, unsure if his next words were going to sound stupid. But he wanted to impress the boy he loved. "You want my cock in your ass?" It felt dirty, like hardcore porno dirty.

Nathan liked hardcore porno dirty, though. He got up from the bench and turned to straddle Warren. He pulled him in for a kiss. "I fucking do," he said, sliding his hand over Warren's crotch. Warren exhaled, watching his breath float away from him. As hot as the moment was, it was still too cold for this. Nathan disagreed, though, because next, he attached his lips to Warren's neck. "Let's do this right now," he said.

Warren sighed at the kisses on his neck. "Let's do it back at Blackwell. It's cold."

"No," Nathan said, licking up Warren's neck. "We can go to my car. You can fuck me into the back seat."

Warren's eyebrows furrowed. "Ugh. Nathan."

"I'll ride you, then." Nathan grabbed Warren's face and kissed his lips, then he pushed Warren's face away slightly to speak again against them. "I'll ride you as long as you choke me." Then he kissed him again.

But Warren pulled his head away, exhaling harshly. "Blackwell or I won't have a dick to fuck you with."

Nathan chuckled. "Fine." He stood up and grabbed Warren‘s hand. They rushed back to the car, laughing with excitement. Nathan still drove carefully and despite his earlier desperation, he seemed to take his time, which made Warren slightly antsy. There was far too much titillation to keep his thoughts calm. He played out different scenarios in his head, trying to make the night perfect for Nathan; to impress Nathan. He played them even as they got on campus and entered the dormitories. Nathan was quiet though up until he stopped in the stairwell behind Warren. He grabbed his arm and held him back.

Warren turned and smiled at him, his current scenario fading away in his mind. “What?” He asked.

Nathan hesitated, eyes peering and eyebrows furrowing, and then he sighed. “I just… I w-”

The doors to the stairwell opened, startling Nathan, and a student entered and rushed up the stairs.

“Never mind, let’s go,” he mumbled and entered their floor. Warren followed but bumped into Nathan's back when he stopped abruptly after looking in the direction of his bedroom. Nathan backed up, stepping on Warren’s foot.

“ _Ow!_ ”

“Ssh!”

“What?” Warren whispered, wiggling his hurt toes.

“Zach’s with Logan. They’re just talking over there. Maybe we shouldn’t go together.”

“Alright. You wanna go first?”

“Yeah. Just come by when they’re not around. I’ll leave my door unlocked.”

Warren nodded and watched Nathan walk on. He waited a few minutes until he went into his own bedroom. The bullies were still there, in front of Logan’s room. Warren sat on his bed and stared at his door for a couple minutes. Then he played a game on his phone for only a few minutes more until he decided to just go to Nathan’s room. He was impatient and aroused and what damage would Zach and Logan do that hadn’t already been done? He exited his bedroom, ignoring the two bullies and entered Nathan’s room, shutting the door behind him.

Nathan was sitting on the edge of his bed. He gave Warren a small smile. “They gone?”

Warren nodded and walked toward him. He stopped in front of him, caressing his cheek before undoing his pants and letting them fall. There was a fire inside him that was unfamiliar and courageous. He pulled Nathan’s head close to his crotch and Nathan sucked him through the fabric of his underwear. His fingers slowly rubbed through Nathan’s hair, then pulled slightly to pull his head away to unveil his erection. Nathan’s lips and tongue reattached themselves before Warren could pull him back himself.

Warren was always lost in Nathan’s enthusiasm. His desperation to hear him moan and his desire for aggression, it was comforting. It was wonderful to be used to a particular way of love making. Everything they did together felt natural. Warren was lost. That was probably why he never heard the door open. 

Nathan heard it, though, or felt it or _something_. He pushed Warren to the ground and wiped his mouth as he stared ahead at his door. Warren didn’t realize what was happening until he heard laughter. He covered his crotch and looked at the open door.

“Fucking faggots,” said Logan, shaking his head.

“Oh my God.” Zach laughed.

Warren rushed to stuff himself into his underwear and get his pants up. “Get out!” He shouted. He turned his head to look at Nathan, but he was only staring at the door.

“I’ve seen more than enough,” said Zach, backing away.

Warren finally got himself up and pushed the door into Logan until it closed. He locked it this time and stood in front of Nathan again. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry.”

“There’s no doubting now,” he said. “They’re all going to laugh at me.”

“No, they won’t. Come on.” Warren reached out to touch Nathan’s shoulder but his hand was shoved away.

“This is your fucking fault,” Nathan glared.

“What did I do?”

“You should have come later! You should have locked the door!”

“Keep your voice down, I didn’t know.”

Nathan got up from his bed and started to pace around his bedroom. “I can’t believe this.Everyone's going to talk. No one will take me seriously. If my father finds out he’ll think I’m doing this on purpose. Fuck, fuck, _fuck._ ”

“Nathan, please-”

Nathan stopped in front of the door and turned toward Warren. “Get out.”

Warren furrowed his eyebrows and his body stiffened. “No.”

“Get out, Warren."

“No, I’m not leaving. You shouldn’t be mad at me about this.”

“Get the fuck out of my room, Warren, I swear to God I’ll fucking hurt you.”

Tears welled up in Warren’s eyes but he fought them back. “Am I going to see you tomorrow?”

Nathan didn’t say anything, he just stood there breathing fire.

“So, no? You’re not going to see me?”

“I should’ve never started.”

Warren’s eyebrows raised. “Oh… great. This is it, then.”

Nothing but fire again.

Warren shoved Nathan out of the way of the door. “Fuck you, Nathan.”

Leaving was easy. Warren was hurt and angry and betrayed. It was trying not to turn around that was difficult. Walking passed Zach and Logan again was difficult. Not speaking to Nathan for the rest of the night was difficult. Trying not to cry was difficult. But sleeping truly alone, without at least a goodnight text, for the first time in a long time, was the most difficult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY.


	12. Ruined

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathan is stubborn and Warren doesn't know what else to do.

Warren was a mess. But he felt worse when Nathan didn't show up to class the next day. During lunch time, he even sat on the floor, leaning on the door frame of his open bedroom, and waited for Hayden to show up to Nathan's door. But it never happened. A whole day of longing and worrying and unanswered calls and messages. Max answered him, though. He called her in desperation because he didn't know who else to talk to. He wanted to try to ask her if she could rewind for him, but he felt that it would be too selfish of him. Max told him that she had never been in a situation like his but she was still able to console him through the phone and make jokes awkward enough to make him smile and even miss her. She told him that he had to be brave and ready for when Nathan did show up to class and for when he was ready to talk to him.

But Nathan still didn't show up the day after. There were always a lot of notes to take for Chemistry class and now he was missing three days worth. To top it all off, there was going to be a lab the next day on all those same notes. Warren didn't want to be an awkward third wheel in someone else's lab partnership, so he gathered the notes that Nathan missed and organized them neatly. He left a little post it note on the front and wrote as neatly as he could: **Don't want you to fail. Lab tomorrow. I hope I see you.** With difficulty, Warren slid the notes just halfway under the door and waited.

A few moments passed before the papers were pulled from the opposite side of the door. Warren jumped close to the door. "Nathan?" He pressed his ear against the door and waited but heard nothing. "Can we talk?" He waited again but still nothing. "At least send me a text, man. I wanna know if you're alright." Still nothing. So he reluctantly went back to his bedroom, hoping that Nathan’s cardigan still smelled like him.

The next day, Nathan did show up to class. He looked the same as usual, almost perfect hair, mostly dark clothing except for his red jacket, and the bruise on his face was almost completely gone. There was something new about him though, but it was still familiar; a tinge of anger in his face. He showed up late to the class and there was only time to discuss their class work. It hurt Warren so much to pretend that nothing happened between them. It hurt so much to keep quiet. Nathan didn't hold eye contact and he was careful to leave space between them unlike their most recent labs. He didn't doodle any dicks on Warren’s papers or tell him any dirty jokes. When class was over and there were a few minutes to spare, he didn't leave him a note on where to meet him afterward. Instead, he got up from his stool and walked out of the classroom. Warren didn't have any privileges that a Prescott had so he was scared to follow, but he did anyway. In a rush, probably making everyone stare, but he didn't hear anyone say anything, his thoughts were too loud, anyway.

Nathan was heading toward the end of the hall with his head down and his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. He didn't seem to notice that anyone was behind him.

"Nathan," Warren called out.

Nathan didn't flinch; he kept moving at the same pace.

Warren rushed up behind him and grabbed his arm. "Nathan."

Nathan shook his arm, making Warren let go. "Stop," he said.

"We have to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"There's a lot to talk about, you idiot."

Nathan stopped and glared at Warren.

"Talk to me, Nathan. Why won't you talk to me?”

“We can’t be seen together.”

“Why not? So what if the whole school ends up knowing about us? I don't get it. You're rich and you say you own this school and you love threatening to sue people. You’re at an advantage," Warren forced out a laugh.

"My father-"

"Fuck him. He'll come around. I know he will.”

“It’s not just him. Everyone already hates me here. If they find out I’ve been sucking cock in my spare time things are gonna get a whole lot worse for me. You know that.”

“And me? What about me? This didn’t just happen to you, Nathan. It happened to me, too. It happened to _us_.”

Nathan didn’t say anything. He sighed and clenched his jaw.

“I know I should have locked the door. I know I should have waited longer-”

“You didn’t wait at all.”

“I’m sorry.” Warren carefully reached out and placed his hand on Nathan’s bicep. “We'll be okay. I don't want to... not be with you. Things will be easier if we stick together. I... I love you, and... I'm pretty sure you love me, too."

Nathan’s face relaxed and his eyes dropped to Warren’s chest. Then he looked away, at the floor. He then slowly raised his vision to a wall and his face turned even paler than it already was. He started looking around at all the walls. Warren followed, in confusion, and his eyes widened. Plastered over the walls, in fresh full color ink, were the same two photos of them. One with Nathan between Warren's legs, cuddling with him on the bench at the lighthouse. Then other, with Nathan straddling Warren and kissing him on the same bench. Their faces weren't very visible, but Nathan's signature jacket was, and underneath each copy that covered most of the walls were the words, "I heart Warren Gayram," along with a crude drawing of what was supposed to be Warren's face.

"No," Nathan muttered hoarsely. "Fuck."

Warren turned to look back at him and saw that his eyes were now glazed and his face was now getting redder by the second. Warren didn't know how to react. He could have had Nathan, he swore that he almost did. But the posters and Logan and Zach... they ruined everything.

Nathan went into a frenzy. He began ripping the papers off the walls and throwing them in the trashcans, but there wasn't enough time. The bell rang and out came students rushing out, seeing the posters and seeing them crumpled in Nathan's hands. Nathan dropped what he had and rushed toward the exit and Warren followed. But they both stopped when they saw the entire front door covered with the posters. Instead of exiting, Nathan turned and rushed into Principal Wells’ office, and then there was banging. Warren followed him again, already hearing laughter and their names from their classmates. Nathan turned to him, still banging on the door, "Stay the fuck away from me!"

Warren hung his head down quickly because the words hit him hard. He turned again, hearing, "Oh my God," and, "I knew it," and, "That's so gross." He pushed through Blackwell's doors and tried to power walk his way to the dorms. They both had swim practice next but there was no way he was going to that class. He heard hard, spaced out foot steps behind him and then a hand on his shoulder.

“Warren!” It was Brooke.

He only turned to look at her.

“Slow down.”

He didn’t.

“I should have known,” she said, snorting.

Warren stopped. “What?”

“I saw the posters. I should have known.”

“What?” he repeated.

“What happened between us and seeing the posters, it makes perfect sense.”

“I got hard with you.”

Brooke rolled her eyes. “I know _that_. I just should have known that you liked boys better because you were so bad.”

Warren hesitated. But he really didn’t know what to say. He just turned away from her and kept walking, hearing Brooke laugh behind him. He kept his head down, avoiding every pair of legs and shoes that he saw. Then he realized that he didn’t even want to look at the ground. The papers were everywhere. He picked up his vision, he was entering the front yard of the Prescott Dormitory now. He saw the papers scattered on the floors, taped around some trees and benches, even a few on the tobanga. Of course there were also some scattered on the wall of the building, making Warren hesitant to walk in. But there was nowhere else to go.

Warren stepped in reluctantly and ran up the stairs, still seeing papers strewn around the stairwell. His dorm floor was decorated in the same pattern as his the rest of the campus. When he turned the corner he saw Hayden wiping Nathan’s slate. Hayden turned toward him and sighed. “It’s permanent marker.”

Warren walked over to him and looked at the slate. On it was the same thing as the posters, minus the drawing. He grabbed the dry erase marker and traced over the writing as best he could. “No doubting who did all this if they didn’t realize how easy it was to get permanent marker off a whiteboard,” he said.

“I’m really sorry, dude,” said Hayden.

Warren didn’t know what to say, he just waited a few more moments and then erased the slate with the side of his hand. He turned to his bedroom door. There were papers covering it entirely and on his slate, there was a drawing of a penis and underneath it: **I ♥ Prescock!**

“I didn’t get to get to your door yet. I came looking for Nate when I noticed everything.”

“He’s with Principal Wells.”

“Good, this should be settled then.”

“This is a fucking nightmare. It’s Kate all over again.”

“Nate’s name is on this campus, this’ll be squashed real quick.”

“I hope so.” Warren walked over to his door and started working on his own slate.

Hayden followed and began tearing down the papers on his door. “This is worth getting expelled over.”

“Nathan didn’t get expelled over Kate.”

“Like I said, his name’s on the campus.”

Warren waited a few moments and wiped his slate with his clean hand. He watched Hayden crumple up the papers and stuff them into the trashcan. “Thanks, Hayden.”

“No worries, man. The guys are gonna be filling in real soon. But I think you two will be alright.”

Warren sighed. “He doesn’t want to talk to me anymore.”

“Seriously?”

Warren nodded. “He thinks this is all my fault.”

“Shit. Look, just give him some time, some space. He’ll come around. I know he likes you.”

“Did he ever talk about me?”

“We never spoke about you, to be honest. But I could just see it in him that he was happier. I’ll put in a good word if he lets me.”

“Thanks.” Warren gave him a tight lipped smile.

“I don’t know how any of this could be you fault.”

“If anything, >em>he came onto _me_ ,” Warren blurted. “Uh,” he chuckled. “Don’t tell him I said that.”

Hayden chuckled. “I won’t.”

They both heard the double doors open. Warren shoved his key into his lock and opened his door. “See you around,” he said.

“Later.”

Warren entered his bedroom and locked the door behind him. He sat on his bed and stared at the door, hearing all sorts of noises. Laughter, banging on his door, fake moaning and whimpering. He wanted nothing more but to be held by Nathan at that point. They had become best friends. Now Nathan didn’t even want to speak to him anymore. There was emptiness inside him and no way to fill it. Another bang on his door startled him and he closed his eyes to try to block it out. He pictured Nathan smiling with him. Tears began to slip from his eyes. His stomach and chest ached. He cursed at the people who dared say that love wasn’t real. How could you feel physical pain from something if it wasn’t real? He started crying harder, fighting sobs by pressing his lips together the same way that he would fight back moans when Nathan needed him to be quiet. Everything would remind him of Nathan now. The flat screen television that sat on his desk, the portable memory that he had for his laptop, Nathan’s sweater and cardigan that rested over a chair, having to walk passed Nathan’s door, the entire dormitory, having to sit next to him… how was he going to survive? What the fuck was he going to do?

Without taking his coat off, he let himself fall back onto his bed. The same bed that he and Nathan had shared on quite a few nights. There was a guy that shouted outside his door, “Gayram and Prescock sittin’ in a tree!” He grabbed a pillow but before he could hold it over his face, his phone buzzed in his pants. He sat up and checked it. It was Max. He sniffled and took a couple deep breaths.

“Hello?” he answered, in the calmest voice that he could manage.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Peachy.”

“If you need to talk, I’m here. The girls seem to be really pissed off about it here, especially because of Kate. We cleaned our floor.”

“There, too? Thanks.”

“It’s no problem. We all think it’s fucked up. It’s like no one learned after Kate. She was miserable. She probably could’ve killed herself. That‘s usually how these things go when no one handles them properly.”

Warren didn’t know what to say.

“Uh, do you know who did this?”

“Yeah, I have an idea.”

“Who?”

“Most likely Logan and Zach. But don’t tell anyone, I’m not completely sure, I guess. I dunno.”

“Okay. Something has to be done about this.”

“Nathan’s handling it, I think.”

“Good! So you guys are okay now?”

“I… no. Not really.”

“Damn. I’m sorry. Well, remember, I’m always here if you need to talk.”

“Thanks.”

The call ended and a text came through. It was from Kate. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. -- Deuteronomy 31:6.” Warren wasn’t religious but he appreciated the gesture. He thanked her then put his phone on silent. He took his coat off and threw it on the floor before wrapping his pillow around his head to block out the outside noises.

It didn't take long for the noises to stop, though. The boys in the hall had most likely made it to their next classes. Warren imagined what the boys in his swim class were probably saying because of his and Nathan's absence. He tried to let go of his thoughts and take a nap, but he couldn't. He finally let go of his pillow and sat up. There was still work to be done, so he reached for his laptop on the floor but noticed that his phone was lit up. It was Principal Wells' secretary.

He grabbed the phone and answered.

"Hi, Warren Graham?"

"Yes, this is he."

"You're wanted in Principal Wells’ office right now."

"Why?"

"I wasn't given any more information than that, I‘m sorry. Please be here soon, it is urgent."

"Okay, I'm on my way. Bye."

"Buh bye."

Warren sighed deeply, unprepared for what mess awaited him outside. He slipped his coat back on and exited his room, making sure he locked it afterward. There were still some papers scattered but not as much as before. Nathan's slate had the same thing written on it as before but in someone else's handwriting. He looked at his own and this time, "Gayram," was the only thing written on it. He wiped his slate and then Nathan's and then headed to the bathroom to wash the blackness off his hands.

His walk back to the school was cleaner than before. There weren't as many papers and the ones that were taped places had been removed. He wondered if the girls had really helped the situation, he was grateful either way. The first thing he saw when he entered the school building was that it was almost completely cleaned but then Nathan caught his attention. He was leaning on the wall next to the principal's office with his hands stuffed in his pants pockets. The two stared at each other for a few seconds.

"H-hi," said Warren.

But Nathan only looked away, pushed himself up, and walked passed him, and out of the school.

Warren fought back tears and sighed as he entered the office.

"Warren, hi," greeted the secretary.

"Hi."

"You can just step right in," she said, motioning to Principal Wells' office.

He opened the door slowly and saw Logan and Zach sitting in front of Principal Wells' desk. He reluctantly shut the door behind him.

"Warren," Principal Wells motioned him to come closer.

Warren took a place near a book shelf but then Principal Wells motioned him to stand next to him, so that the bullies could have a better view of him. It was awkward and he hated it.

"I have spoken to Logan and Zachary about the many offenses of the situation they have caused. Bullying, in this case, being the most prominent. Wasting valuable school supplies and littering being the secondary offenses. I know they will each be charged with littering once law enforcement gets here and they will not be allowed to use the public computers for the rest of the school year. In addition, I will have a meeting with their coach about their future with our Bigfoots and if these two young men so much as hurt a hair on anyone's head, they now know that they will be expelled."

Warren was glad. He was glad that people were finally getting reprimanded at Blackwell. But almost expelled still seemed too merciful. "Why aren't they completely expelled?" he asked.

The boys glared at him and he pretended not to notice.

"Their actions did not fit the, uh, criteria for expulsion. Nonetheless, Nathan did demand that they apologize to you, which is, ultimately, why I have called you here to see them."

"He wanted them to apologize to me?"

"And to himself, as well."

Warren looked at Logan and Zach nervously. They each looked fairly angry. "Okay..."

Principal Wells cleared his throat.

Zach sat up straight in his seat and looked at Warren, but not in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

Logan sighed. "I'm sorry, too. It won't happen again."

"Um, I accept your apologies," said Warren. He turned to Principal Wells. "Can I go now?"

"I would still like to have a word with you." He turned his head back to the two boys. "You may go back to class now. If you don’t get called in beforehand, meet back here at four thirty, to re-discuss your offenses and your athletic future here."

Each boy got up with a sigh and walked out the office without looking back.

"Please, sit, Warren."

Warren reluctantly sat on a chair in front of the desk. He never got called to the Principal's office, so it made him uneasy. He was never good with authority figures in this way.

"I do not want this school to be caught up in another scandal. If there is ever something serious going on, you must let me know."

"I will."

"You also need to go to your classes. I know it may be difficult, but you still have a GPA to keep up if you want to keep your scholarship."

"I know, I just really, really couldn't handle swim practice after all that."

Principal Wells nodded. "I understand. You don't have to go today, I'll have it covered, but try not to miss any more classes."

"Okay. Thanks. Thank you. I, um... could I go?"

Principal Wells sighed and leaned back on his chair. "Yes."

Warren walked back to his room with his head down, scared to run into Zach or Logan. Once he got back to his floor, he knocked on Nathan's door, but there was no answer.

The campus was almost completely cleaned up the next day. Whispers and giggles were a part of the soundtrack that Warren had to listen to for a while when he walked around in public. He had forgotten that he was unhappy and lonely before Nathan. Now he was brutally reminded. He didn't want to trouble anyone with his sorrows and anyway, the only person he really wanted to talk to wouldn't talk to him.

For two weeks Nathan sat quietly next to Warren in their Chemistry class, only speaking to him when an assignment called for it. It was awkward and uncomfortable. His entire presence was distracting, but especially his scent. Warren missed being able to smell him up close. His scent was strongest at his neck and right underneath his ear. Things felt worse when he would see Nathan walking out after curfew or smiling and laughing with Victoria and her minions. He wouldn't stop wondering if he was with someone new or if he felt any remorse at all. There he was, shattered and empty. There Nathan was, laughing and going about his business. He wondered often those weeks if Nathan really _was_ ever in love with him, or if he was just in love with the idea of him. In love with having a young, mildly attractive fuckbuddy therapist.

His thoughts prevented him from sleeping more often than not. Hopelessness and uncertainty clouded his mind. He tried watching porn sometimes, to try to relax and get his mind off his heartbreak. But he ended up having to cover his tv with a blanket and watch it on his laptop or phone. But even then, he pictured himself with Nathan, like he always had when he watched porn. Masturbating was now only making him feel lonelier. For two weeks, Warren was helpless and lost and lonely... until he found himself knocking on Luke Parker's door.


	13. Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke is too much, but Nathan is just right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I wrong or was Luke's bedroom not listed on the same floor(?) as Nathan and Warren's? So, for the story's sake, let's pretend that through the double doors near these boys' rooms is their public lounge and then past that are more dorm rooms! Hope that makes sense.
> 
> Also, I dunno but I don't really like this chapter but here it is?

It was Friday afternoon and Warren had just finished his homework. He missed doing his homework in Nathan's room. He wanted to try to talk to Nathan again but froze when he exited his bedroom. Nathan had come out at the same time he did and they both just stared at each other for what seemed to be too long. Warren didn't know what to do or say so he turned toward the double doors and walked passed the lounge and in a split second, decided to head over to Luke's room. On his way over he almost wanted to turn back and try to talk to Nathan again, like he had originally planned, but he just really didn't want to embarrass himself by being ignored again.

As he knocked on Luke's door he wondered why he didn't think to hang out with him the past couple weeks. Luke seemed to be friendly and laid back, and he hated Nathan, which meant that Warren would probably be able to vent about Nathan. Maybe. Warren had a lot to say about Nathan, but most of it wasn't bad. He just missed him. He felt like a nuisance talking to Max, even though she said he could talk to her whenever he needed.

When the door opened, Warren's eyes uncontrollably looked Luke over from head to toe, and he blushed. He wasn't wearing anything but a pink towel around his waist. Luke was in Warren's swim class for the first few weeks of the school year, so he had seen him shirtless but he never really _noticed_ him like he could now. He had a swimmer's body, and it was very nice to see.

"Hi," Luke smiled warmly, snapping Warren out of his slight daze.

"Hey, Luke." Warren glanced at the towel. "Um, I could come back..."

"No, it's cool." Luke smirked slightly. He moved aside to give Warren some space to enter.

The walls in Luke's room were cluttered with sports posters and band posters, though the rest of his room was relatively neat. In the corner of the room was a small corner couch, which Warren thought was pretty cool. He sat on it and watched as Luke walked toward him. Being in front of shirtless guys was never uncomfortable for him. There were guys that sometimes looked for excuses to take their shirt off and show off. But this was different. After already being with a boy, things were different. He noticed things that he hadn't before. Like how Luke's stomach was defined and how Nathan's was just flat. How Nathan's stomach felt soft in some places but Luke's felt... what would Luke's feel like?

"So?" Luke asked. He was sitting on his bed now. Slightly hunched over, arms leaning on his legs, body facing a wall in front of him but his head, turned, facing Warren.

"Um, I just... I haven't been having the greatest days, ha..." His voice trailed off and his eyes dropped. Luke's legs were open. The slit from the towel revealed his hairy upper thighs. Warren wondered for a moment. If he was in front of Luke, could he see _everything?_ But he pushed the inappropriate thought out of his head and continued to speak. "I, um, just needed to talk to someone..." His eyes met back up with Luke's.

Luke smiled. "About Nathan?"

"Yeah."

"What is it with you guys?"

"Wha-"

"One moment, I'm sure you hate him as much as I do. The next, I see you coming out of his room early in the morning and giggling with him in the halls. I definitely saw him grab your ass once. But he wouldn't admit that you guys were on a date on Valentine's Day. Then the posters happened. Now I don't see you guys together anymore."

"Well, we were kind of fooling around, I guess. Then it got serious. But when it got serious, it got fucked up. Logan and Zach put those posters up. It was embarrassing."

Luke raised his eyebrows. "Yeah. I'd be embarrassed, too. Pretty fucked up."

"Nathan won't talk to me anymore because... well, sometimes we talk when we have to since we're lab partners in Chemistry. But he thinks everything is my fault."

"That's so like him. He's a fucking drama queen. That's totally irrational."

"Yeah... I miss him, though." Warren's eyes found their way to a shirt on the floor. It was quiet for a couple moments and Warren almost forgot where he was.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Warren looked back at Luke. "Yeah."

"What do you see in him?"

Warren furrowed his eyebrows. He felt defensive. "He's nice to me. He's... he's awesome."

"Silent treatment isn't very awesome."

"He's misunderstood... and that's okay. We have a lot in common. He really _is_ nice to me. He listens. He makes me laugh. He's... gentle..." Talking about Nathan only made Warren miss him more.

"Gentle?"

Warren hesitated.

"You mean like... in bed?"

"No. I didn't mean it like that. I don't really want to talk about _that_."

"We can, if you want." Luke leaned back and held himself up with his hands behind him, which made Warren's eyes wander to his toned stomach again. His happy trail was darker than Nathan's. "I can help you forget about him."

Warren's eyes darted away, to the floor. "I'm not here to forget about him."

"You should, though. Prescotts are douche bags."

"Why do you hate him so much?" Warren was starting to get a little annoyed. They weren't together and Nathan did break his heart, but he still loved him. He didn't want to hear anyone say anything negative about him.

Luke grimaced. "He was never nice to me." Luke repositioned himself as he was earlier, slouched over with his arms resting on his legs. "In the beginning of the school year, he caught me looking at him, while we were changing for Swim. I didn't mean to stare, I don't even think I did. He's like, alright I guess, but I dunno. It wasn't like that. Anyway, I could tell he got really embarrassed because he turned red. He didn't say anything about it, though. Then I walked in on him lighting fire crackers in one of the bathrooms with some other guys, and they were afraid I was gonna snitch. So he threatened me and called me a faggot and told me how he knew I was checking him out all the time. And, 'faggot,' became my nickname for a while."

Warren frowned. "Is that why you were only in our class for the first month?"

"Yeah. Just for 3 weeks."

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault."

"He's not like that anymore, though."

"Bullshit."

"He really isn't."

"Why are you defending him so hard?" Luke stood up from his seat on the bed and faced Warren. "I thought you came to talk shit or to vent or _something_."

Warren tried very hard to keep eye contact. He tried hard to keep his breathing steady even though the hip bones in his peripheral were making it difficult to do so. "I did. I'm just not good at this, I guess."

"I don't think you came here for that."

"What do you mean?"

Luke's fingers slipped inside his towel and pushed it off. It was impossible to keep eye contact now. Warren's eyes widened when they met with Luke's surprisingly long dick. Quick images of tasting it and having it inside him flashed in his head and gave him goosebumps. It felt like too much time had passed before he finally looked up to see Luke smirking.

"I'm okay with being a rebound, Warren."

It was a nice thought. It was a fucking perfect thought at that moment. To feel something new, to feel _someone_ new. He was longer than Nathan and maybe he knew things that Nathan didn't. Maybe he wanted a real, public relationship, too. Maybe it would be good. Maybe...

Warren stood up. His breathing was shaky and his pants were tighter than before. "I cant," he said, slowly nodding. Then he passed Luke and exited his bedroom. He felt warm all over but it wasn't because of his arousal. He was angry and frustrated. At Nathan, at himself, and at Luke... and maybe at the fact that Blackwell always had the heating turned up so high. He needed to cool off somehow so he went into the student lounge, where the vending machines were. Unfortunately, Logan was in front of the drink machine, studying it. Dana was on the couch, looking through a magazine until she saw Warren.

"Hey, Warren!" She said, too cheerfully for his taste at that moment.

Warren forced a smile anyway. "Hi."

"It's so cool that you're gay."

Logan snorted.

Dana shot him a dirty look and Warren pretended not to notice.

"I'm not gay," Warren said. "I'm... bisexual." It was the first time he said it out loud. It felt strange.

"Still, that's cool. I didn't think Nathan was... bi? Is he bi, too?"

"Um, yeah, I think so."

"You _think_ so?"

"We're not really speaking right now."

"Oh, no. Did you guys get in a fight?"

Warren stared at the back of Logan's head. "What Logan and Zach did really... ruined everything."

That must have triggered Logan's drink decision, finally. He pressed a button and a bottle banged out. He left with the bottle soon after.

"He's never going to find someone," Dana said, quietly.

Warren slid a dollar into the vending machine and hit the button for a power drink.

"Dunno what I was thinking when I hooked up with him. Trevor is so much better than him."

The bottle banged around in the machine and landed at the bottom. He grabbed it and headed toward the exit. "See you around, Dana."

"Bye!"

Warren pushed through the double doors with his head down. Brown oxfords faced him. He lifted his head to see that familiar red jacket with hands stuffed into its pockets and a pale face staring at him.

"I waited for you," Nathan said. "I wanted to talk to you."

Warren hesitated but reached his door, noticing that Logan was in front of his own. " _Now_ you want to talk?"

"Yes."

"Well... talk."

Nathan glanced in Logan's direction and sighed hard. " _Inside?_ "

Logan snorted, his keys jingling.

Warren rolled his eyes and turned to open his door. Nathan followed and closed the door behind him. Warren sat on his bed, nervously twisting the cold, sweaty bottle in his hands and staring at the floor, wondering what Nathan was going to say. Hoping that he was going to apologize, hoping they could just forget about everything. But he just stood there in front of him until he finally raised his head and looked him in the eyes.

"I miss you, Warren."

Warren stared at him, frozen. It was what he wanted to hear, but he didn't know how to respond or react. So he didn't.

"To be honest, I can totally live without you. But I just don't want to. I mean, without you, I'm just... surviving. _With_ you I... I'm _alive_. I'm an asshole, Warren, and I'm sorry you chose to deal with me. You don't have to put up with my bullshit but you do. But I don't even... it's not like that is it? You don't tolerate me. You really _like_ me. You lo-... you love me, and... I love you, too. I love you so much... and I knew I fucked up but I was fucking stubborn. I'm stupid. I'm so sorry. I don't ever want us to get upset with each other or fight or, or never speak again." Nathan stopped and stared at Warren. He looked helpless. Something that Warren never saw in him, not even when he was depressed.

“What,” Warren sighed. “What… changed?”

“Nothing,” Nathan stepped closer. “What I feel didn’t change. I was just angry and I’m fuckin’ irrational and stubborn. I don’t want to do this anymore. I don't want to be like this.”

“Nathan, you really hurt me.” Warren felt his hands wet from the condensation on the bottle. He placed it on the floor next to his bed and dried his hands on his pants. By this time, Nathan was sitting on the bed next to him.

“I know I did. I know that I can’t take it back either. I just want you to give me another chance. A _last_ chance… because I won’t let this happen again.”

Warren looked into Nathan’s almond shaped eyes and perfectly blue pupils. He looked at the strands of hair that never stayed in place and hung over his forehead. He looked at his thin, pink lips. There wasn’t much to think about. He knew what to answer. Maybe Nathan knew, too.

“Just… don’t hurt me again, man. I don’t take a broken heart very well.”

Nathan’s arms wrapped around Warren’s neck in a hug. Warren reciprocated by wrapping his arms around his waist. And it was perfect. It was where they belonged; how it was supposed to be.

“I’m so sorry,” Nathan whispered.

Warren pulled away to see Nathan’s eyes glazed. He cupped his face and kissed his lips gently. “It’s okay.” He smiled and Nathan grinned.

“I really missed you.”

“I did, too. A whole lot.”

Nathan smiled and placed his hand on Warren’s leg. He kissed him. It was softer than their earlier kiss. Welcoming and comforting and relieving. It didn’t last long, though. Nathan pulled away and asked Warren if he wanted to get dinner with him. He was shy about it, too, which filled Warren with glee. It was weird to be in such a bad place with a person and then be in a great one right after. But this was a natural thing, every relationship had its downfalls. Sometimes they would grow stronger after one, not always, though. But this was one of the times that it would.

It was the middle of March now, and the weather had gotten warmer. There was still need for a jacket, though, and Warren settled for a plaid hoodie. The walk to the parking lot was quiet between the two boys, but there were whispers behind them every time they passed students. To Warren, it was oddly comforting to have people know about them. He wasn't sure how Nathan felt about it. Once they reached the parking lot, Warren asked.

"So has anyone said anything?"

"'Bout what?"

"You and me."

"Oh. Yeah," he sighed. "Vic asked me why I never told her. Her friends wanted to know really personal things about sex." He made a face. "And Hayden tried asking me why I wasn't speaking with you." He pulled out the keys from his car and unlocked it with the click of a button. "How about you?"

Warren walked to the passenger side of the car and climbed in. He waited for Nathan to shut his door before he answered. "Dana thinks it's cool. Brooke wasn't very surprised because of the night I had with her."

Nathan half smiled and started the car. 

"How does it feel to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Now that people know about us. It feels kind of weird but also kind of... comforting."

"Nah, it's fuckin' weird." He grinned and pulled out of the parking lot.

The trip to the Two Whales was filled with more talk of their classmates' reactions toward their romance. They continued their talk within the diner after they sat at a booth. But their conversation changed course when Warren accidentally mentioned Luke.

"The guys think it's real funny to joke around about me watching them change during Swim. I think you always changed too quickly to catch it," Nathan said.

"That reminds me about why Luke hates you so much," Warren blurted out.

"What do you mean? He has a particular reason?"

"Yeah."

"Well, what is it?"

"Does it matter?" Warren forced a chuckle.

Nathan furrowed his eyebrows. "I guess it doesn't but I'd still like to know."

"You called him a faggot in the beginning of the school year and it stuck for a while."

Nathan pouted. "Oh."

Warren looked down at his menu, wondering if he should get something new.

"How do you know that?" Nathan asked him.

"He told me," Warren said, without looking up.

"You spoke with him?"

"Yeah."

"Are you guys friends now?"

"Not really, well, I dunno."

"Did you fuck him?"

Warren slowly looked up from his menu and at Nathan. His face was straight.

"Uh-"

"It's okay... if you did." Nathan slowly looked at his hands that were fiddling over the menu on the table.

"I didn't."

Nathan nodded.

"He, um, he came onto me though."

Nathan looked at him again. "He did?"

"Yes. I was coming from his room when I came out of the lounge."

Nathan's eyebrows furrowed. "What happened?"

"We were just talking and he was already like, half naked because I had caught him out of the shower. Then he um," Warren couldn't help but to smile when he remembered the size of Luke. "Dropped his towel."

Nathan's eyebrows furrowed further, causing his eyes to squint. He didn't answer and he looked away. His body started to tremble slightly, in the way that it did when his knees were bouncing.

Warren reached out and grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry."

Nathan almost pulled his hand away but he left it.

"That was really stupid. I shouldn't have said anything. I shouldn't have brought him up at all. Nothing happened between us. I couldn't do it. Anything."

Nathan looked at Warren again. "Why not?"

"I didn't want someone different from you, and well, there's only one Nathan Prescott."

Nathan's face softened and he fought back a smile. Warren's own smile made him lose that fight.

Their dinner was slightly awkward but still comforting to Warren. It was almost like everything was back to normal, like if nothing negative had even happened between them. Their car ride back to campus was equally as enjoyable. Filled with raunchy jokes and "I missed you"s. It was an unexpected good day after a few terrible weeks. To Warren, their night was even better.

During the credits of a movie that they chose to watch in Warren's room (after Warren explained why he had to keep a sheet over his TV), Nathan had something important to discuss with him. His arm was draped over Warren's shoulder and Warren was leaning into him slightly.

"So," he started. "I think I need to say something."

"Yeah?" Warren turned his head away from the TV and looked at him.

Nathan sighed. "I know I told you that I didn't mind if you fucked other people but I do mind."

Warren nodded. "I understand that."

"So... don't do it. I don't want you to be with anyone but me."

Warren scoffed. "That's stuff that people say when they're in relationships."

"Yeah." Nathan patted Warren's chest with his hand that was resting over it. "It is."

It didn't come to Warren immediately. He kept thinking about why he had to be just friends with him. But then Nathan's words echoed in his head. That was his way of saying it. That was Nathan's way of saying that they _were boyfriends_. But could Warren really be so sure? He smiled to himself because he _was_ sure, but he was going to confirm anyway.

"So," Warren grinned at the thought of finally having a partner. "Does this mean that... we're together?" Warren asked.

Nathan didn't say anything at first. He only took a deep breath and stared straight ahead at the TV screen. But it didn't take long for him to look Warren in the eyes and speak. "Yeah. You're mine."

Warren exhaled and smiled slightly. His heart practically fluttered. He belonged to Nathan Prescott.

"And I wanna be yours."

And Nathan Prescott belonged to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are definitely nearing the end here! Oh what a lovely ride it has been! I'm thinking one or two more chapters? Depends on how the next one goes! Just be prepared just in case the next one is the last one, haha. This has been a challenge for me, I've never finished a story before, this is exciting.
> 
> Thank you everyone for your lovely kudos and comments. Reading them always brings me joy!


	14. Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter.

"Boyfriend."

Warren's eyebrows furrowed. His eyes were still shut and with the brightness before him, he slowly came to realize that it was morning.

"My boyfriend."

Warren opened his eyes slowly, feeling a slight stinging sensation on his eyelids. He felt Nathan behind him and concluded that it was his voice that had woken him up.

"Boyfriend," he heard him say once more. He was stating it.

Warren slowly turned and looked at him. He was sitting up slightly, staring ahead. He looked down at Warren and half smiled. "Morning."

Warren smiled back. "Morning. Um... what are you saying?"

A shade of pink flooded Nathan's cheeks. "You heard me? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up.”

“It’s okay but,” Warren yawned. “What were you saying?”

“Uh. I was... uh, it's just. It's just. It's just weird having a… boyfriend."

Warren smiled and sat up with him. "Because like, gay or because you're now _attached_?"

"Both, honestly."

Warren's smile faded.

“I’ve never dated anyone. I‘ve never wanted to. Honestly, I thought I’d accidentally get a girl pregnant one day and have to marry her or something.”

Warren snorted. “That’s ridiculous.”

Nathan shrugged. “I guess… but then… then I accidentally took your phone.”

Warren smiled. “Was it an accident, _really_?”

“Definitely,” Nathan rolled his eyes and grinned.

Warren chuckled but slowly became serious. "You‘re happy, though, right? I mean, I know you have depression but-"

Nathan kissed Warren on the temple. "Yeah, you make me happy."

The words filled Warren with glee. He made someone happy. Not from a joke or a look, but by existing. He felt truly and completely loved. It was what he had wanted for a very long time. It was strange for him, too, though, to have a boyfriend; to be attached. There were unwritten rules he had to follow now. But he wasn't quite sure what they were other than, of course, not sleeping with other people. That had already been established. He made a mental note to ask Nathan what else was expected of him.

After Nathan took his medications and they washed up, the new couple had decided to have breakfast with each other in the school cafeteria. Their walk to the cafeteria was filled with small talk and attempts at ignoring the whispering from their fellow alumni. When an attempt failed it was because Nathan gave someone a death stare. He almost didn't want to eat in the cafeteria because he feared people were going to stare at them.

"Dude, it'll be fine. You're Nathan Prescott. Nobody messes with you," said Warren, in a low voice so no one would hear them.

Nathan sighed and pushed through the cafeteria door and Warren followed. "Except when two dickheads actually did," said Nathan.

"Well, I mean, that was taken care of."

The two each grabbed a tray and headed straight for the breakfast line.

"I just don't need stupid fuckers in my business," Nathan said.

Warren walked before Nathan and set his tray on the metal bars, unknowingly at first, that he was right behind Luke on the line. He wondered if Nathan noticed but tried not to worry about it. He also tried to stop thinking about Luke’s penis. The two had managed to go unnoticed until it was Luke's turn at the cash register. While pulling his wallet out of his pocket, he looked directly at Warren and then behind him, and only smiled slightly. He paid for his food and thanked the cashier, then he left the line. Warren slid his tray over and paid for his food next.

"What‘d he smile like that for?" Nathan asked.

Warren stepped aside. "I don't know." He waited for Nathan to pay. "You know, you gotta stop being so mean to him."

"He threw himself at you," Nathan whispered, harshly.

Warren snorted. "You threw yourself at me, too."

Nathan didn't respond. The two walked to a nearby cafeteria table but before they could sit down, someone called out to Nathan.

"Yo! Prescott!" It was Hayden.

So he two boys walked over to Hayden instead and sat down. He had two full breakfast trays in front of him.

"You guys are hanging out again, huh?" He smiled and stuffed a forkful of hash browns in his mouth.

Nathan shrugged and Warren smiled.

"That's good,” Hayden nodded. He went after his eggs next.

“How did they let you get two trays of food?” Warren asked, picking up his bagel.

“You steal someone’s lunch money?” Nathan asked, untwisting the cap on his bottle of orange juice.

“I just asked someone to buy food for me. I fell asleep without eating dinner last night and shit, am I starving. So you guys are boyfriends now?”

Nathan choked on his juice and they both looked at him.

Warren grabbed his shoulder. “You okay?”

Nathan wiped his mouth and coughed as he nodded.

Hayden laughed. “What, did I say something?”

“Prick,” Nathan muttered and glared at Hayden.

“Oh, come on that hurts. I’m not wrong, though.”

Nathan looked down at his plate and started to eat. “No, you’re not.”

Warren’s hand slid off of his shoulder and he smiled. “No, you’re not,” he repeated.

Hayden smiled and then continued to ravage his meal.

“Spring fling!” A slightly high pitched voice came from beside the group. A tray with pancakes was dropped onto their table.

Before Warren could even look up and realize that it was Victoria speaking, Nathan spoke.

“What are your ideas, then?”

“Okay,” she sat down next to Hayden. “Under the sea!” Her eyes widened and she grinned.

“Would it be a pool party again?” Warren asked.

Victoria’s head slowly turned to him and she furrowed her eyebrows slightly, as if just noticing that he was there. “What-… _oh_ ,” her face softened and she slowly turned back to Nathan. She didn’t say anything, she only made a face.

Warren looked at Nathan. He was trying not to smile but he gave up when he glanced at Warren. He looked back at Victoria and nodded.

Victoria sighed. “ _Finally_. Do you know how much he talked about you?”

Warren chuckled. “Um, no.”

“I didn’t,” said Nathan.

“You talk a lot when you’re drunk,” said Hayden.

Victoria nodded.

Warren turned to look at Nathan, who was blushing. “What kind of things did he say about me?” Warren asked Hayden and Victoria.

“I hung out with Warren again,” Victoria lowered her voice to sound more like Nathan, though she lowered it far too much. “He’s such a funny guy. I’m going to invite him to a Vortex club party.” She tilted her head. “Then I see him fucking shot gunning you in front of everyone. As if _no one_ was going to tell that you guys were fucking at that point.”

Warren almost wished he hadn’t asked. His face was on fire.

Hayden laughed. “Yeah, pretty much. Dude, it was like,” Hayden began his own voice imitation, “I was hanging out with Warren earlier. He's so much cooler than people think.”

“He doesn’t think I’m a weirdo,” Victoria added in, with her deep voice again.

“Okay! _Alright_ ,” Nathan said. “You guys can shut the fuck up now. I definitely never said that last one.”

Hayden and Victoria laughed and Warren grinned.

“Y’know,” Victoria peered at Warren and pointed at him with her plastic fork. “If you ever hurt my best friend, I’ll stick this right through your eye.”

Warren raised his hands. “I promise I won’t.”

“Vic, shut up,” said Nathan.

“Don’t tell me to shut up when I’m defending you,” she pointed her plastic fork at Nathan this time.

“I’m fine, Princess,” he grinned.

She smiled and rolled her eyes. “Good. Now, back to Vortex business.”

Victoria talked about her ideas for the next party until Taylor and Courtney joined their table. At that point they did most of the talking and Victoria just agreed or disagreed with their input. Warren wondered how Nathan was able to stand people talking at him without expecting him to respond. But Nathan didn’t even look like he was paying attention, anyway.

At the end of his meal, Hayden got up and interrupted Courtney. “I gotta go, ladies.”

“Yeah,” Nathan agreed, putting his hands on the table. “We’ll talk more about this later. Just text me. Good ideas, though,” he said as he stood up from his seat. Warren followed, picking up his tray. “As long as there’s chicks that want to dress like mermaids, I’m in.” He winked.

Victoria rolled her eyes. “Bye, Nate.”

“Bye, Gorgeous. See ya later, Taylor, Courtney.”

Taylor and Courtney simultaneously said their goodbyes.

Warren walked over to the trash cans and only then realized that both Hayden and Nathan left their trays on the table, and were waiting for him at the cafeteria’s entrance. Warren made a mental note to try and teach his boyfriend some manners.

The three boys walked out of the cafeteria, continuing to talk about how wonderful it would be for them to see the girls from their high school as mermaids. Warren didn’t add much to the conversation, though, as it made him slightly uncomfortable. But the conversation was cut short anyway when Luke interrupted them.

“Hey, Warren. Can I talk to you?” He was up against a wall and looked like he had been waiting there.

“The fuck about?” Nathan stepped forward.

Luke furrowed his eyebrows and stood his ground. “None of your business.”

“Listen, asshole-”

Warren grabbed Nathan’s arm and pulled him back. “Nathan, come on. I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”

Nathan snapped his head back at Warren. He peered at him but nodded slightly. “Whatever.” He looked back at Luke and pointed at him. “You better fucking watch yourself.”

Hayden gently pushed Nathan’s back to move him forward. “Come on, tough guy.”

“Shut the fuck up,” he grumbled but walked forward.

Luke and Warren watched the two walk away.

“So,” Luke cleared his throat. “I wanted to apologize.”

Warren raised his eyebrows, surprised that Luke wasn't going to insult Nathan. “Oh. Well, you don’t-”

“No. I do. I, uh, I was really forward with you. Kind of a jerk, actually.”

“Um, it’s okay. You really don’t-”

“No, Warren, I came onto you while you were all gaga over someone you’re in love with. I can’t say that I know what that’s like. Y’know, being in love. So I didn’t really empathize. Plus, I hate Nathan.”

Warren forced a smile. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find someone.”

“Oh,” Luke’s eyebrows raised. “I’m not-… I… uh…,” his eyebrows furrowed and he thought for a moment. “I actually don’t… _do_ relationships. That’s what I’m saying,” he shrugged. “I really _can’t_ know what that’s like. I just don’t feel that way.”

“ _Oh_.”

Luke half smiled. “Yeah.”

Warren rubbed the back of his neck out of awkwardness. Luke really just wanted to get into his pants this whole time. He blushed at the thought. “Well, that’s cool, I guess. Whatever you’re into, y’know?”

Luke nodded.

“Um, I’m gonna go back now,” Warren motioned in the direction that Nathan and Hayden went in.

“Yeah, okay. I just didn’t want things to be awkward between us again.”

“It’s cool,” Warren chuckled.

“See you around.”

Warren smiled and turned. He walked into the crowded hall and tried to find Nathan and Hayden. He was glad that Luke apologized, although he didn’t feel that he needed an apology. It meant that they could be friends. Warren liked having friends. Especially male friends since it was hard for him to make them. Things were really turning around for him, though. It felt good to-

“Faggot.”

The slur stung and made Warren tense up. It made him almost completely forget about his previous thoughts. It came from behind him, an unfamiliar masculine voice. He ignored it and lowered his head but it spat again.

“Fffaaggot.”

He heard a laugh after it this time and it made his face heat up. He lifted his head this time to try and search for Nathan or Hayden within the crowd. But he couldn’t find either of them. He pushed through double doors and made his way into Blackwell’s lobby.

“You choke on Nathan’s dick, faggot?”

More laughter. Warren clenched his teeth, ready to turn around. But then he spotted his boyfriend talking to Hayden just by the trophy cases. They spotted him, too, and his face softened in relief.

“Cocksucker! Throat too sore to speak?”

Hayden said something into Nathan’s ear and he nodded. There was more laughter. Once Warren was a few feet away from the friends, they charged behind him. Warren spun around quick enough to see the moment that each boy slammed the other against the trophy case, making everything inside shake. Hayden, holding one with his arm behind his back and face against the glass. Nathan, holding the other against the glass case with his arm over his throat. Warren only stood there, almost frozen, looking around at the crowd that began to gather around the five of them.

“Come on, man, I didn’t do anything!” Yelled the boy underneath Hayden’s grip. His voice didn’t sound like the verbal abuser.

“You didn’t stop your asshole of a friend, though,” said Hayden, calmly.

“If you _ever_ come near Warren _or_ me again, you’re fucking dead.” Nathan spoke through his teeth with fury. He stared at the kid in front of him, but the kid, although seemingly terrified, said nothing. So Nathan roughly shoved his arm into the kid’s throat. “You fucking hear me?”

The kid nodded frantically, shutting his eyes tight and choking out a, “yes.”

Nathan let go and Hayden followed. The kid that Hayden had adjusted himself and the other held onto his own throat.

“You guys are damned lucky that we didn’t fuck you up,” Hayden spat out.

“He’s not,” said Nathan and then swung his fist across the harasser’s face.

“Fuck!” He yelped and held onto his face as he almost fell back up against the trophy case.

Hayden pulled Nathan away.

“Remember that, asshole!” Nathan exclaimed and placed his hand on Warren’s shoulder to turn him around. He let go quickly, though.

The audience slowly dispersed and the three of them walked away in silence. Once outside, Warren, of course, broke that silence.

“I bet you’re feelin’ pretty alpha now,” he chuckled.

Nathan snorted. “Just defending you,” he mumbled.

“I’m surprised David didn’t come running,” Hayden said.

“Too busy scratchin’ his balls.”

Hayden laughed. “Alright, well, I gotta go. I didn’t get to wake and bake, so I gotta catch up.”

“Alright, cool,” said Nathan, with a nod.

“Later, Warren,” Hayden said, walking off.

“Later, and, um, thanks!”

Hayden turned his head and flashed a smile. “Anytime!”

The boyfriends walked on ahead, toward the dorms.

“So, you think that outed us?” Warren asked.

“Those posters outed us.”

“Oh, right. I guess so. But I mean, people probably _really_ know now.”

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Nathan Prescott, you’re my _hero_ ,” said Warren in his best Cameron Frye impression.

Nathan laughed. “Fuckin’ dork.”

Warren smiled. “It was really cool of you. I appreciate it.”

“I gotta,” he shrugged. “Do _boyfriend_ things.”

Warren grinned. “Well, you’re going a great job so far.”

Nathan blushed and it made Warren grin again.

“Just don’t expect me to hold your hand.”

Warren forced out a laugh. "I wouldn't.” But actually he would have really liked to hold Nathan's hand.

“Sorry brah,” Nathan chuckled.

Warren rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. "What about your dad? Does he know what happened?"

"I didn't tell him everything. I knew he'd just want to sue everyone or something... and I feel like that would unnecessarily stressful for me. I told him that I just got into a fight because someone saw me with you and that Principal Wells hadn't informed him of it because I asked him not to. Of course, he wanted to sue for hate speech and discrimination, but I told him that I was fine and taught the guys a lesson, and that I couldn't handle a court case, mentally."

"Well, you were mostly honest with him."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Wait, so your dad knows about me?"

Nathan smiled. "Right now you're just, 'this kid at school that I like.' But maybe during our next meeting you'll be Warren."

Warren smiled. "Just Warren? Not, 'my boyfriend'?"

"One step at a time."

"Sounds like he's being accepting, though."

"I guess, sort of. He still said things that made me uncomfortable but he didn't make me totally angry. He wasn't a total asshole. Maybe the therapy's helping him work some shit out, too."

Warren nodded. He was very happy that the relationship that Nathan had with his father was getting somewhat stronger. He knew what it was like to be under pressure but he didn't know what it was like to be neglected by family. He didn't think Nathan deserved that, even though he turned Warren into a heartbroken zombie for a couple weeks. “I really missed you, y‘know," said Warren. "I… um, I never had my heart broken before. It wasn’t easy." He rubbed the back of his neck.

Nathan frowned slightly. “I’m sorry. I’m such a fuckup.”

“Did... did you really think the posters were my fault?”

“No. But I was seeing red, man. I didn’t know what to think. You were in front of me, right there, so I took it out on you and I shouldn't have. But I'm a stubborn douche bag and I’m sorry.”

Warren nodded slowly. It still hurt a little bit and in the back of Warren's mind was a small fear of repetition, but he was going to trust Nathan. “Well, it’s in the past now. I think you just gotta, y'know, think before you act. You gotta do that in relationships, right?”

Nathan nodded. “Yeah.”

“It’s nice to be someone’s.”

“It is,” he grinned. The two gazed at each other until Nathan nervously looked away. “You know, uh,” he started. “I kept a couple posters.”

Warren raised his eyebrows. “Seriously?”

Nathan shrugged. “They stuck a bunch under my door and I kept one of each.”

“How come?”

“I dunno. We don’t have pictures together… and I guess I thought we were never gonna get to take any.”

Warren smiled. “You wanna take couples photos? That seems unlike you.”

“Hey, alright, I can be kind of…”

“Cute?”

Nathan blushed and Warren loved it. "Everyone does it. To... show off that their happy or some stupid fucking shit like that."

Warren snorted. The two of them walked in silence the rest of the way, ignoring stares and whispers. After pushing one of the doors of the boy’s dorm, and letting Warren walk through first, Nathan asked what Luke spoke to him about.

Warren zipped down the zipper from his jacket, already feeling the high heat of the building. “He only apologized.”

“Really?” Nathan asked, letting the door go behind him.

“Yeah, he said that he respects that we’re, y’know, together now.”

Nathan squinted. “That seems shady.”

Warren half smiled. “It’s nothing.”

It was intriguing to Warren to have a jealous partner. It made him feel cared for. Nathan could wrap around him and he wouldn’t mind. He wanted to be smothered. He always thought that he would be the jealous one in a relationship but even though Nathan was an asshole sometimes, he never really had eyes for anyone else. He was Warren’s and Warren was his.

In his bedroom, Nathan pulled out two posters from his desk drawer and handed them to Warren. It looked like Nathan had cut off the bottom part where they had written, "I heart Warren Gayram." It still made Warren feel uncomfortable to be photographed in this way without his consent. But he didn’t want to tell Nathan since he didn’t seem to mind it.

“Did you ever even get a feeling that we were being watched?”

“No. It’s pretty fucking weird that these so called, ‘straight guys’ were watching us make out.”

Warren chuckled and handed the posters back. “Yeah. And if it wasn’t so cold I’m pretty sure we were going to have sex right there.”

“Hmph.”

Then on came an awkward silence. It had been a long time since he and Nathan had had sex and during that time, Warren was struggling with masturbation. They had gotten extremely comfortable with each other but for some reason, at this moment Warren didn’t know what to do. He did want to have sex with him. He had wanted it since Nathan confirmed that they were together. But he wanted Nathan to act first, he was more comfortable when Nathan was the one to initiate it. But Nathan only stared at the posters quietly. The silence was almost deafening had it not been for shouting of some sort in the halls.

Nathan sighed hard and got up to put the posters away. “They’re fuckin’ animals.”

Warren chuckled and kicked off his shoes. Sex wasn't very necessary. He sat with his legs crossed on the center of Nathan’s bed. When Nathan turned from his desk he smiled at him as he took off his own shoes. “Wanna watch a movie?” Warren asked, turning his head to look at Nathan’s DVD collection.

“Actually, I think I have a better idea.”

Warren turned his head back to look at Nathan.

Nathan licked his lips slowly and sat on the bed in front of Warren. “I…,” he exhaled softly. “I want my boyfriend to fuck me.”

Warren felt his face and ears heat up. He swallowed and smiled too big. There it was. That was what he wanted. “Um,” he chuckled. “A-are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Nathan placed a hand on Warren’s knee. “I mean, we don’t have to if you don’t want to. I just know you’re not going to be the one to start anything.” Nathan smiled.

Warren chuckled. "Yeah, sorry."

"It's cool," Nathan smiled and leaned in to kiss Warren's neck.

Warren sighed. His dick was already ready for action but he couldn't help but to think about how long it had been since he last jerked off. He was afraid of not lasting long because of his sexual hiatus. He pulled away from Nathan. "Wait."

“You don’t want to?” Nathan asked, an eyebrow raising slightly.

“No! I do, I do. I definitely do. It’s just, you know... been a while and I haven’t really even masturbated in forever.”

Nathan’s eyebrows furrowed and he laughed. “What?”

“I don’t want to finish too quickly and be bad at it,” Warren said rushed, almost in a mumble.

Nathan laughed again and shook his head. “God, for a nerd, you’re pretty stupid.”

Before Warren could respond Nathan leaned in and kissed him on the mouth. The hand on his knee moved further up his leg until it reached his bulge. Nathan smiled through their kiss as he started rubbing. Warren moaned softly into Nathan’s mouth. Then they parted.

“Take off your clothes,” said Nathan.

Warren nodded. The boys undressed swiftly, occasionally smiling at each other. Next, Warren was told to lay down on his back, he listened and wasn’t going to mind if he ended up bottoming. He loved it when Nathan told him what to do.

Nathan’s eyes roved over Warren’s body and he smiled. "I... missed you."

Warren chuckled and felt a little shy. "I missed you, too."

With a sly smile, Nathan brought his head down by Warren's groin. At first he only looked at Warren from the angle. Then he stuck his tongue out and moved his head up the length of Warren's erect penis, his tongue only hovering over it. This made Warren furrow his eyebrows which in turn, made Nathan laugh.

"You're a dick," said Warren, trying to seem upset.

Nathan grinned and licked over the tip just once. Warren bit his bottom lip, simply accepting the teasing. But Nathan gave in and sucked the tip into his mouth. His eyes slipped shut. He moaned as his tongue licked straight up and down. But despite the start of Warren's pleasure and sighs, he lifted his head. He reached over Warren, into his drawer and pulled out his lubricant. “Gimme your hand,” he said.

“My hand?”

“Your hand,” Nathan nodded.

Warren held out his hand and Nathan squeezed out a dollop of lubricant onto the palm.

“Now jerk off.”

Warren looked at his hand and then back at Nathan. "What?"

"Go ahead," Nathan smiled, shutting the cap on the bottle of lube. He leaned down and kissed the tip of Warren's dick this time. He grinned when Warren sighed. "I wanna see you jerk off. You can get it back up for me after."

"Oh, can I?"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, babe." Nathan's use of a pet name seemed to surprised himself. But he smiled when Warren grinned at it. "Anyway, we've got," Nathan leaned down and kissed Warren's stomach. "The whole," he kissed Warren's chest. "Fucking day," he kissed Warren on the lips.

Warren smiled and sighed. "Okay." He only ever touched himself with Nathan if he was getting fucked. He'd never only masturbated in front of him. It felt weird. But then Nathan started to kiss his neck, then suck, then bite. It was only natural now that Warren's hand attached to his dick.

Nathan looked down to watch for a bit, then he looked back at Warren and bit his lip. "You look really hot touching yourself."

Warren exhaled. He appreciated the compliment. He leaned up and kissed Nathan, immediately sliding his tongue into his mouth. Nathan moaned and rubbed his hand over Warren's chest. He parted from him to continue giving Warren's neck attention.

"I can't wait to have you inside me," he said, just above a whisper, then licked up Warren's neck.

Warren moaned and his eyes slipped shut. He couldn't help but to picture being inside of his boyfriend already. He squeezed his hand very slightly and began slowly rocking his hips forward.

There was a kiss on his lips. "You thinking about it?"

Warren opened his eyes slowly and whimpered. Nathan kissed him again and held his face with one hand. His thumb grazed over his bottom lip and pulled at it.

"Open up."

Warren parted his lips and Nathan stuck his index and middle fingers in while kissing his cheek. Warren started to lick and suck with his eyes closed again, missing the taste of all of his skin.

"Get them real wet," Nathan said and bit the base of Warren's neck. "I'm gonna fuck you with them."

Warren moaned and collected saliva around Nathan's fingers. His own hand was starting to feel too good at this point. Nathan smiled, pulling them out of his mouth. He coated his fingers with lube anyway and pressed up against Warren's hole. He bit his lip, running his other hand up Warren's thigh and watching Warren's hand work its way up and down.

Warren picked up his knees and slid his butt down. "Do it," he breathed out. He slowed his hand down so not to cum before he was fucked for a little bit.

"You're eager," Nathan grinned.

Warren ran his free hand through his own hair. "Yeah."

Nathan pushed his fingers through and Warren grunted. His stroking pace became quicker in a successful attempt of ignoring the slight pain. It was too much, though. By the time Nathan pushed his fingers all the way through, Warren was already close. He felt his face heat up from pleasure and slight embarrassment.

"Nathan, I'm..."

Nathan lowered his head and breathed onto Warren's wet cock. He started to finger fuck him roughly, and as soon as Nathan finally wrapped his lips around the tip, Warren exploded with pleasure. He let out a long moan while Nathan moaned himself and sucked on him gently.

"Fuck," Warren breathed out.

Nathan took more of Warren's dick into his mouth, slowly swirling his tongue around, making Warren hum. His fingers pulled out slowly and he wiped them on his sheets. He came off Warren and straddled his waist, probably purposely letting his butt get close to Warren's groin. He planted small kisses on his neck and chest.

"Where do you want me?" He asked.

Warren hadn't thought about that detail yet. "I dunno," he sighed, still catching his breath. It was his turn to be the dominant one for once.

"We have my whole room to think about."

Warren smiled and rubbed his hands over Nathan's fuzzy thighs.

"You can fuck me on the bed. You can fuck me on the couch. You can fuck me over a desk. You can fuck me on a chair. You can fuck me on the floor. You can f-"

"Okay!" Warren laughed. "I get it."

Nathan held his cock and slapped it against Warren's stomach a couple times. "Or... do you want me to fuck you instead?"

Warren only considered it for a second. But then he shot up and grabbed onto Nathan with one arm so he wouldn't fall backward. He smashed his lips against Nathan's and let a hand wander from Nathan's thigh crease to his ass. He squeezed and Nathan smiled through the kiss. They kissed passionately while Nathan tried to adjust himself. But Warren managed to turn Nathan onto his back. With his arm still hooked around Nathan, he bit hard at his neck.

Nathan groaned. He grabbed a handful of Warren's hair and pulled. But before he could say anything Warren spoke first.

"I'm gonna top... and I'm gonna fuck you so hard... that you'll never want to top again."

Nathan grinned and bit his lip. "Mm, promise?"

Warren grinned in response and continued to nip at Nathan's neck.

He expected Nathan to fight him a little more because it was something that Nathan liked to do. But he was oddly submissive instead. Their foreplay lasted until Warren was hard again. Nathan was even very patient with himself, only stroking his own dick slowly every now and then. When the two agreed on being ready, Nathan positioned himself on his knees with his hands gripping his headboard. Warren enjoyed the sight. He trailed kisses from the back of Nathan's neck to his lower back. But Nathan seemed to be trembling slightly.

Warren rubbed his hands over Nathan's back. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Nathan breathed out. "It's just been a while."

"I'll go slow. I'll be gentle."

Nathan chuckled. "I don't want you to be, though."

Warren licked his lips. "Okay." He watched Nathan's puckered hole as he applied a small amount of lubricant on his index finger.

"Start with two fingers."

Warren brought down his middle finger by his index and applied more lube. With his two fingers he spread some over Nathan's hole and Nathan exhaled harshly. He pushed through only slightly in attempts to get some inside. He reapplied the lube on his fingers and then started to push through. It was tight but once the tips of his fingers were in, Nathan moaned.

"That okay?" Warren asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Just keep going."

Warren listened and pushed through further, slightly twisting his fingers for comfort. He didn't pause, he pushed through all the way and was much more turned on by the warm tightness around his fingers. Nathan was breathing hard but he didn't sound pained. Warren pulled out and pushed back in slowly, with his other hand rubbing up and down Nathan's hip. His thoughts about what came next soon consumed him and he started to rush. But with his harsh breathing and back muscles flexing, it seemed that Nathan didn't mind. Warren squeezed Nathan's hip and placed a kiss on his left butt cheek. "Do you feel ready?" He asked.

"If you do." 

Warren slowly pulled his fingers out of Nathan and Nathan grunted. Warren, who already had a condom on, lubed up his cock and positioned himself. He placed small kisses on his lower back and even some more on his butt cheeks. He rubbed his hands over Nathan's cheeks. "Okay," he exhaled. With one hand he held Nathan's hip and with the other he aligned himself with Nathan's hole. It was a little scary for him, still, because he didn’t want to displease Nathan with his skills or lack thereof. But when he pushed through, felt the tightness around the tip of his cock, and heard an audible moan from Nathan, his lack of confidence vanished. Warren’s lips parted until his mouth dropped as he pushed further. Nathan was warm around him and felt tighter than he did around his fingers. He held Nathan’s hips with both hands now and watched as his cock disappeared into Nathan’s ass; as the two became a part of each other. He hummed. "Mmm, fuck." His hands slid up Nathan's back and then back down to his hips.

Nathan was still breathing harshly with his head hanging. Warren pulled out slowly, watching his boyfriend’s head, and then pushed back in. “Ahh,” Nathan moaned. Warren wanted more moaning. He started with slow, but hard thrusts that made Nathan moan each time Warren shoved in. When his pace quickened, Nathan’s moans became whimpers, and Warren had never heard noises like that come out of him before. It delighted him. He needed more. In a swift movement, Warren wrapped his hand around Nathan’s throat and pulled him backward, making Nathan groan as he was forced to sit on Warren's cock. At first Warren used the mattress to assist him in continuing his thrusting, but he quickly let Nathan do the work and ride him. It looked like a struggle for Nathan but Warren liked watching him do it.

He reached around Nathan and started to stroke his dick. “Yeah,” Warren breathed out. “Ride me like a little bitch.”

Nathan grinned. “Fuck you.”

Warren chuckled and let go of Nathan's dick. Next, he grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled his head to the side. Starting from just above where his thumb was pressed in, he licked up his boyfriend’s neck. Nathan whimpered and it drove Warren wild. This time he let go of Nathan’s throat and pushed him down with the hand that was in his hair, his face landing hard onto his pillow. He held Nathan’s hips up with one hand and his other hand held Nathan’s face down. Warren thrust harder into him, quicker and desperate.

Nathan whimpered again. “Fu-… ha, fuck,” he groaned, his hands grabbing fistfuls of his sheets. “Fuuuck meee.”

Warren finally moaned himself. He had been more focused on making Nathan feel good but hearing Nathan dirty talk sparked something inside him, as usual. He grabbed Nathan’s hair and rammed himself into Nathan rougher, in a way that he would have liked to be rammed himself. Nathan’s moans were longer now and louder. Warren, who's fingernails were digging into Nathan's hip, was more breathless. Watching Nathan’s butt cheeks bounce slightly with every thrust was a little mesmerizing. He pulled back on his hair, hard, making Nathan lift himself up a bit, and giving himself the opportunity to jerk off in the process.

Warren leaned in closer, hand still tangled in Nathan’s hair and hips still smacking against his ass. He bit down onto Nathan’s shoulder and watched as Nathan bit down on his own bottom lip with his eyes closed tight.

“How’s that feel?” Warren asked, breathlessly.

Nathan moaned. “Mmm, so… huh, so fucking good.”

Warren almost shuddered. He gave Nathan a hard thrust which made him moan with his mouth wide open. He let go of Nathan's hair and his head dropped down. He used both hands to tightly grip Nathan's hips. He started to grunt as his thrusts pushed him closer and closer to the edge. "You feel amazing," Warren breathed out. He saw half of Nathan's smile beneath him. His head was lowered, now watching himself jerk off.

"I'm getting really fucking close, babe."

"Yeah?" Warren tried fucking faster or harder, but his energy was depleting because he was already all in.

"Mm, choke me," Nathan said, panting and lifting his head up again.

Warren leaned forward and wrapped his hand tight around Nathan's throat. After that it didn't take long for Nathan.

With his arm was moving fast, Nathan gasped and his hips slightly bucked forward. "Uh, mmm...," he finally sighed and felt weak beneath Warren.

Warren loosened his grip around Nathan's throat and Nathan collapsed.

"Keep fucking me," Nathan said, almost completely out of breath and still stroking himself.

Warren obeyed, watching Nathan's face and hair rub against the sheets with each thrust. It wasn't long before he came inside him, his orgasm too consuming to let him ride it out. He pressed his hips hard against Nathan's ass with curses pouring out of his mouth. Nathan moaned in response and let his hips fall down, taking Warren down with him. Warren shifted his weight, so not to smother his lover. Once he was finally able to catch his breath, he stood on his knees and looked at Nathan for a bit. His thin but fit naked body sprawled beneath him, his disheveled light hair, and his closed eyes.

Warren got up and walked to Nathan's trash to peel the condom off himself. When he walked back to bed Nathan was having some trouble peeling his comforter off the bed. Warren helped and got out a fresh blanket from his closet. 

"Thanks," said Nathan, turning onto his back. "My legs are kind of jelly."

Warren chuckled. He brought the comforter next to the room door and turned back to Nathan, who had a stupid smile on his face.

"What?" Warren asked, having to smile himself.

"We were supposed to be make out buddies."

Warren laughed and crawled onto the bed. He cuddled up to Nathan, resting his head on his chest. Nathan's arm wrapped around him. "I think we were going to end up like this anyway."

"Really?"

"You can't keep your hands off me, Nathan."

Nathan chuckled. "Guess not."

"You think anyone heard us?"

"I don't give a shit. I heard Dana giving Trevor a blow job for the like the tenth time the other day, so who cares?"

"Fair enough, I guess... I hope."

"No one's gonna snitch on us." Nathan placed his hand on Warren's head and started to idly play with his hair.

It was a nice feeling. Very soft and delicate compared to all the hair pulling Warren had done earlier. "I didn’t hurt you at all earlier, did I?” Warren asked, circling a finger around Nathan’s nipple.

Nathan chuckled. “Try harder.”

Warren grinned. “Of course.”

“I don't think I've ever been fucked like that, though. You did very well for your first time topping me. But we’re going to have to work on you keeping your promise, y’know? I still really wanna fuck you.”

“Well, maybe I wasn’t trying to keep my promise,” he smiled.

“I _am_ a pretty good top, aren’t I?”

Warren grabbed Nathan’s nipple and squeezed hard.

Nathan shoved his hand away. “Ow!”

“Aw, you said try harder!”

“Asshole!” Nathan pushed Warren off of him and they began laughing and wrestling each other.

They had sex again very late into the night. Nathan, betting Warren that he couldn’t fuck him harder and harder, wasn’t able to sit comfortably the following morning. Warren apologized over and over but Nathan only smirked and said that he really didn’t need an apology. He liked feeling sore because of sex because it was a reminder of the good sex. He had several hickeys on his back and chest to remind him of it, too.

The two planned on having breakfast again in the Blackwell cafeteria, despite Warren insisting that he just bring Nathan breakfast so he wouldn’t have to sit on anything hard. He even insisted until they were already in their dormitory’s lobby.

“Dude, I’m fine,” Nathan half smiled.

"Are you walking okay?"

"It only hurts a little when I sit, that's all." He pushed the dorm doors open and let Warren through first. Then to Warren’s surprise, he grabbed his hand and… held it.

“Oh,” said Warren, eyebrows raised. “You’re cool with this now?”

Nathan nodded and tried not to smile. “Yeah, I am.”

Warren smiled in a way that he knew was goofy, but he couldn’t help it, and it was contagious.

People stared a lot more than the previous morning but Warren couldn’t help but to smile the entire time. He didn’t care who was looking, in fact, part of him wanted people to see. His boyfriend was Nathan Prescott. _The_ Nathan Prescott.

Once they arrived at the cafeteria, they were greeted by Hayden who only raised his eyebrows at them. He got on the breakfast line before them. But before the couple got onto the line after him, Nathan pulled Warren close, held his face in his hands and kissed him. It was in front of the whole cafeteria. There were whispers and gasps but none of it bothered them. They were completely untouched.

Nathan pulled away, still holding Warren’s face. “We’re gonna have to start getting used to these assholes staring, might as well give ‘em a show.”

Warren laughed and gave Nathan a peck on the lips before stepping away and getting on the line. Nathan wrapped his arm around Warren’s shoulder and kissed him on the cheek. All the PDA would have almost embarrassed Warren if he didn’t love Nathan so much. He looked at him while they moved up on the line behind Hayden. He finally had someone that was in love with him; a boyfriend, and he smelled so good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end, the end! I'm so sorry for leaving you hanging for so many months. I'm happy to have completed this, though! Better late than never! Thank you again and again everyone, for your support and kudos and comments, it really boosted my confidence in letting any of my work go public. You are all so lovely.
> 
> I don't think I'm going to be writing any more LiS fan fiction but I think I'm still going to be writing fan fiction for other things that I am a fan of. I'm totally not abandoning this fandom, though, there are still a few fic updates that I'm waiting for :3
> 
> Thanks again, everyone!
> 
> BTW, I have a tumblr! cashryley.tumblr.com


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